Nottingham Forest Netball triumphed in a thrilling East Midlands derby, holding off Loughborough Lightning's to secure a 73–71 victory.
After leading 23–19 in the first quarter, Forest faced a strong push from Lightning, who pulled ahead 59–58 by the third. However, Forest’s resilience and strategic defense in the final quarter, combined with key shots by Rhea Dixon and interceptions from our player of the match Jayda Pechovà and Iona Christian propelled them to victory. The team’s ability to weather pressure and maintain composure in the dying moments saw us claim the win, leaving fans celebrating a hard-fought and well-deserved victory.
Head coach Chelsea Pitman was beaming with pride after the final whistle, describing herself as a "really happy coach" and praising our side's grit and belief in the process.
"To grind it out, to be okay going goal for goal is a real testament to the girls trusting in the game plan and also just being okay with being uncomfortable," Pitman said post-match. "We worked really hard at training to bring that consistency piece, and I think everyone just took ownership and accountability for their role."
That accountability shone through across all four quarters, with Forest maintaining their intensity in both attack and defence. In particular, Pitman highlighted the impact of Christian, who earned the starting wing attack position and impressed with her vision and feeding into the circle.
"Iona got the starting wing attack and did a phenomenal job there… and then you had Jayda Pechova who absolutely came alive in that last quarter."
Forest’s performance was built on a solid foundation: a fast start — something that’s been a work-on in recent weeks. For Rhea Dixon, who returned to face her former side, this win was about focus, grit, and executing the plan from the outset.
“It was nice to get a good start… that’s something we’ve been focusing on,” Dixon said. “It’s good to be able to kind of put a game plan out for a good 60 minutes.”
The home crowd also played their part in lifting the team through the tense final phases. Both Dixon and Christian hailed the electric atmosphere inside the arena.
Dixon when asked about the crowd's influence. “We can so tell the difference from playing home to away — I don’t think we would’ve been able to do that without our fans.”
Christian echoed the sentiment, calling them the “eighth player.”
“Playing here in front of an atmosphere like that really helps lift us,” she said. “And credit to everyone — those who started, the bench, everyone kept calm under pressure.”
While Pitman and her squad know there’s still plenty to improve — sticky patches and moments of lapse were noted — the overriding feeling was one of pride in a group that’s steadily building chemistry and resilience week by week.
“We don’t have the resilience of past years or previous connections to rest on,” Pitman reflected. “So for them to stick to the game plan, start strong, and impact the game at the right times — that’s a really exciting sign of growth.”
As Forest look ahead to their next fixture, they do so with confidence, knowing that a win like this might just be the springboard they’ve been searching for.
