The London Mavericks got their 2025 Netball Super League season off to a cracking start on March 14th, pulling off a hard-fought 65-56 victory against the LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons in Cardiff. It was a proper battle from the get-go at the House of Sport, with both teams coming out swinging and keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Let’s break it down!
A Tight Contest from Start to Finish
This wasn’t one of those games where one team just ran away with it. Nah, both the Mavericks and Cardiff Dragons went toe-to-toe for most of the match. The score stayed super close, and you could feel the tension on the court. The Mavs were actually trailing by two points at half-time, but they dug deep and flipped the script in the second half to seal the win. That’s the kind of resilience you love to see early in the season.
Leah Middleton Steals the Show
Leah Middleton was absolutely everywhere in this game. She had her hands on the ball constantly, disrupting Cardiff’s rhythm like it was her personal mission. Every time the Mavericks tried to get something going, Leah was there to mess up their plans. Proper game-changer, that one.
Kira Rothwell’s Impact Off the Bench
When Kira Rothwell came on, you could feel the energy shift. Her movement was slick, and her shooting was bang on. She didn’t waste any time making her presence felt, and it definitely helped swing the momentum in the Mavericks’ favour. Solid sub performance!
Vicky Oyesola’s Injury
The one downer in an otherwise cracking game was the horrible injury to Vicky Oyesola. It looked rough, and it’s gutting to see a player go down like that. Sending all the positive vibes her way for a speedy recovery—here’s hoping she’s back on the court soon!
Quashie Steps Up Big Time
With Vicky off the court, the defence could’ve easily gone wobbly, but Sasha Quashie wasn’t having it. She was immense both before and after the substitution, rallying the backline and keeping the pressure on Cardiff. She was all over their passes into the circle, making the Dragons second-guess every move. An absolute rock at the back!
Looking Ahead for the Mavericks
This win sets a decent tone for the Mavs as they head into the rest of the season. Their home debut is coming up on March 23rd at The Brentwood Centre in Essex against Leeds Rhinos Netball—should be a belter! If they keep up this kind of intensity and teamwork, it’s gonna be a fun year. Plus, with the new rules like the super shot in play (two-point goals in the last five minutes of each quarter), things are only gonna get spicier as the season rolls on.
What did you think of the game? Drop your thoughts below—I’m all ears!