Manchester Thunder beat down the Storm 55-52

Manchester Thunder beat down the Surrey Storm with another gripping 55-52 win at the Thunderdome in the opening match of the 2015 Superleague season.

Both sides made promising improvements to their teams after the memorable 2014 Superleague final that saw Manchester Thunder’s Helen Housby net a last gasp shot to seal the trophy for her side.

England captain Pamela Cookey will add her experience and attacking play to Surrey Storm where as Australian Chelsea Pittman is a versatile new signing for Manchester Thunder and can play WA, GA or Centre on court.

55-48 was last season’s result when these two side met in their first game of the season and Manchester Thunder coach Tracey Neville said: “It will be very, very difficult to win back-to-back championships but we have the belief.

“Mavericks will be putting out their strongest team ever, Jets are the ones to watch and Surrey has signed Pamela Cookey.”

Despite Neville’s concerns Thunder made an impressive start. Storm netted the first point but Goal Shooter Hosuby was quick to respond and netted 3 goals in a row for her side. Goal Keeper Kerry Almond made a crucial interception which led to Thunder doubling their lead to 8-4.

England shooter Rachel Dunn had a shaky start but made amends as she netted Storms 6^th.

A feisty tussle between Coach Tamsin Greenway and Pittman of which Thunder came out on top showed the Wing Attack’s desire for every ball.

Cookey was confident in the circle as she netted Storms last two shots to make it 15 -11 at the end of the quarter.

No changes for either side meant a quick change of court halves. Dunn clawed back two points for Storm as they closed the gap to 19-15 with quick transitional play.

At 20 -17 Storm started to build momentum but Goal Defence Emma Dovey made an excellent turnover to build Thunder’s lead.

Swift smooth passing from Pittman and Housby then nsured a 23-18 lead.

Cookey netted Storm’s 20^th but Thunder immediately responded with 2 quick goals from Housby.

At half time Thunder were on top 29-21.

The home side remained unchanged and unperturbed in the 3^rd quarter where as Storm made some much needed changes. Josie Huckle moved to GK, Hannah Reid to GD and Nicky Austin came on at Centre.

A held ball from Manchester Thunder ensured Storm made an improved start to the 3^rd quarter

But four incredible shots on target from Housby got the Manchester crowd roaring again.

Dunn quickly shortened the gap and a fantastic leap and shot from Cookey made it 40-31.

A rare missed shot from Kathryn Turner gave Storm the opportunity to make it 42-34. But Cookey could not net another point for her side. Storm still ended the quarter positively and frustrated the Thunder defence to shorten the gap to 44-39 at the end of play.

Storm now had a memorable comeback in mind but Thunder remained positive as Housby netted Thunder’s 45^th .

Another missed shot from Turner gave Surrey another chance to shorten the gap to 47-43 but Thunder retaliated with a positive turnover and increased their lead.

Turner raced into the circle to make it 49 -44 then another flawless shot from Housby lengthened their lead again.

However Surrey were not done yet. As Greenway iced her hand in the last eight minutes she bellowed out “discipline, discipline,” to her side.

But Bayman and Housby teamed up to give Thunder a 52-45 lead.

Kerry Almond made an fantastic turnover in the circle but Turner could not make it count and Surrey came back to bring the gap down to just 4.

More quick passing from Storm meant Cookey was able to net another and make the score 54-51.

Housby then calmly made another terrific shot as Thunder ended the game confidently knocking the ball through the court and finished their first match 55-52.

Surrey’s  shooting stats were superior to Thunders with 92% in comparison to 88% but the score was the only stat Lollipop cared about.

Both Greenway and Cookey admitted they made too many errors throughout and were disappointed with the loss.

Player of the match Pittman said to Sky TV: “It was not easy at all if you look at the scoreline it tells the story for itself. We had a good lead but we let it drop so the girls wont be happy with that but we’re happy we got the win and we can move on with that.”

The games won’t get any easier though for the Champions as their next fixture will be against five time title winners Team Bath next Saturday.

There will also be no draws in the Superleague this season as teams will play out extra time until one side gains a two goal lead.

Lollipop knows things could get even tighter for Neville’s side but to start off with a win against a rival team that were unbeaten last year shows what contenders the Thunder girls are and what belief they will bring to the Superleague.

Whether they win a consecutive title though is not in Lollipop’s hands.

Starting Manchester Thunder 7: GK, Almond, GD, E Dovey, WD, L Malcolm, C, S Bayman, WA, C Pitman, GA, K Turner, GS H Housby

Starting Surrey Storm 7: GK H Reid, GD, K Holland, WD, A Flanagan, C K Ainsworth, WA, T Greenway, GA, P Cookey, GS R, Dunn.

Can our girls go all the way in the 2015 Aussie Open?

Lollipop hopes so as the first Grand slam of the 2015 – the Australian Open starts on Monday at Melbourne Park.

In the long term absence of Laura Robson 22- year-old Heather Watson will be the only Brit in the competition. With Watson’s best performance in 2013 when she reached the third round of the Open she is no favourite like our champ Serena Williams. However Watson has proven she is no longer the underdog.

Today the tournament draws revealed Watson would take on in form Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in the first round. Most players would see this as a tough opener but Watson and Lollipop are remaining positive.

The Guernsey born Brit told the Guardian. “I feel confident in myself, confident in my game and I’ve worked really hard in the off-season. I really hope that it pays off. It’s just converting it on the big moments, on the big stages, against the big players.”

Watson’s fighting talk can be backed up by her 2-2 record against Pironkova and their most recent match on grass in Eastbourne last summer which Watson won.

The 22-year-old enters 2015 as the world No49, by far Britain’s highest-ranked female player. Lollipop has found her results hugely encouraging this week at the Hobart International, where she has looked assured after beating American Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-1 in just 64 minutes and Roberta Vinci 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 on the way to Saturday’s final, where she faces the American qualifier Madison Brengle. If she wins, it will be her second WTA Tour title and her ranking will be pushing top 40.

Even if Watson does not win a title tomorrow she has proven she is just as in form as Pironkova. But if she does perhaps Lollipop and I will be expecting so much more of the British number one in next week’s grand slam.

Our champs will of course have an easier route to the second week of the Open. World number one and five-time champion Serena Williams plays unseeded Belgian Alison van Uytvanck, while second seed Maria Sharapova opens against a qualifier.

As the retired 2014 champion Li Na is unable to stage a comeback the tournament seems wide open for the top seeds. Serena Williams suffered a shock exit to former World No. 1 Anan Ivanovic for the first time in her career in the fourth round after later revealing she had considered withdrawing from the tournament even before her third round match due to a back injury.

French Open champion Maria Sharapova also suffered defeat early on last year in the 4th round where she lost in three sets to the 20th seed, and eventual finalist, Dominika Cibulkova.

So despite their rankings Lollipop believes we could have an unlikely winner just as we did in 2014.

Rising star Simona Halep, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and US open finalist Caroline Wozniacki could be ones to watch next week. But then again so could the other Brit girl.

With even 17-Grand Slam winner Roger Federer admitting that top seed Novak Djokovic is favourite to win in the Men’s draw the women’s singles looks far more unpredictable.

Expect fiery contests and high pitched exasperated screaming throughout next week only from Lollipop of course.

Surprise Surprise for Liverpool FC but not for Lollipop

Steven Gerrard’s decision to leave Liverpool FC at the end of the Premier League season has shocked his team mates. The 34-year-old is out of contract this summer and joined the Reds aged nine. But for Lollipop and I it seemed only a matter of time before the prolific captain would hang up his boots for his home town club.

The Liverpool midfielder has not started all matches this season and began the vital Champions League tie away at Real Madrid in November on the substitutes’ bench.

Despite an incredible football career as a Liverpool midfielder who scored 180 goals in 695 games Gerrard’s game has become marred with mistakes. His slip in the Liverpool vs Chelsea game last season arguably cost his side the match and the title as forward Demba Ba scored with a clear run on goal to gain a 1 nil lead.

After a horrendous 2014 World Cup campaign Steven Gerrard also quit international football and said: “To ask my body now, the way it is and what it has been through, to play international and domestic football was too much of an ask.”

The 34-year-old has been at the club for 25 years and earned his first cap for England n a 2-0 win over Ukraine in 2000. His career has been both extensive and sublime but the timing is right for him to leave English football.

This season Gerrard  has proven he is still an amazing player with an 86% passing accuracy in the Premier League over the past 18 months which betters any other stage in his career. Thirteen assists last season was also a career high and his 13 goals was only bettered by his 16 goal haul in 2008-2009.

Lollipop definitely believes it is better to go out on a high now for his team and give them his best football to date.

Despite an impressive 2013-2014 campaign where Liverpool finished second in the league the Reds have suffered since the departure of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge’s numerous injuries.

After an early departure from the Champions League in the group stages they now lie 8^th in the table and need their captain more than ever.

This season he has been rested more that usual but manager Brendan Rodgers still sees the importance of a player who helped Liverpool win the Champions League, the Uefa Cup, two FA Cups, three League Cups, one Community Shield and two Uefa Super Cups.

The Liverpool manager said: “It is almost an impossible task to find the words to appropriately sum up Steven Gerrard and his importance to Liverpool.

“This is an era where the word ‘legend’ is vastly overused, but in his case it actually doesn’t do him justice.”

Gerrard has said he hopes to return to Liverpool in the future plus his decision to leave for a non- English club i.e. professional soccer team LA Galaxy  maybe shows his unwavering love for his hometown club.

The bravado of Gerrard’s departure will probably continue over the weekend but it is well deserved. As pundits argue over who is the greatest Liverpool footballer out of Bill Shankly, Kevin Dalglish, or Alan Hansen all Lollipop and I can remember is Istanbul 2005. The moment where Gerrard did what he always does on the pitch today. Lead his team to something great.