Manchester Thunder Thump Celtic Dragons in images

Superleague Champions Manchester Thunder recorded their greatest win of the season to date last night as they beat Celtic Dragons 81-36 at the Thunderdome.

Goal Attack Eleanor Cardwell earned her first start of the season and teamed up with England Goal Shooter Helen Housby.

Manchester Thunder were too strong for Celtic Dragons as the home side dominated from start to finish and ended the first quarter 20-11.

But there was a blow for Thunder at the start of the second as Goal Keeper Kerry Almond went down with an ankle problem and couldn’t continue.

Jodie Gibson switched to Keeper and young England defender Georgie Webster came on at Goal Defence.

Thunder coach Tracey Neville rotated her shooters and young Alice Travis was brought into the squad to offer up options as their lead stretched to 30-15.

New Australian recruit Chelsea Pittman lifted Thunder’s tempo further, lofting perfectly-weighted passes into her shooters as a string of two-pass centre to goal combinations really knocked the wind out of the Dragons.

Player of the match Jodie Gibson played out the entire match for the first time this season and said: “I’m really, really happy with that.

“It feels good to get a full 60 minutes and I was happy to get on court with Georgie Webster and she was so strong.

“Complacency isn’t a word that Tracey (Neville) uses and she always demands quality.

“We pushed on and it didn’t feel like we were that far ahead out there. It was a great team performance today.”

Neville’s side play at home again against a struggling Loughborough Lightning on 28th February who lost 48-68 to former Superleague champions Surrey Storm at home and have won only two of their last five games.

Unbeaten Thunder will be hoping for another giant win and Lollipop will be cheering them on this Saturday.

Game of the Draw

Lollipop knows the FA Cup has already served up several shockers this year but what has us animated is the clash between Cup holders Arsenal and 2004 winners Manchester United after their 3-1 finish over league one side Preston.

Despite an unimaginative first half and a perilous start to the second after Scott Laird put Preston in front United fought back with goals from Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and a penalty from Captain Wayne Rooney.

The Gunners, who beat Hull City in last year’s final, easily defeated Championship side Middlesbrough in the fifth round 2-0. But Lollipop knows their next tie at Old Trafford does not seem as simple.

Arsenal have clearly been the better side in the FA Cup this season shrugging off Hull in the third round and edging out Brighton 3-2 in the fourth. Arsene Wenger’s side have not had to face any replays unlike their next opponents Manchester United who have struggled when playing lower league teams.

Wenger said striker Olivier Giroud’s game has improved during his time at Arsenal. And with two clear struck goals over the weekend United can not afford to let the centre forward put his side in front. This time they may find it hard to come back.

Wayne Rooney scored his first goal of the year and in a centre forward position the striker looked menacing as he helped his team overcome a galvanised Preston side.

Only five Premier league sides remain and only three may make it to Wembley.

With league one side Bradford through to the quarter finals after titan wins over Premier League leaders Chelsea and Sunderland over the weekend the Black Cats are dreaming of Wembley.

But first Bradford must overcome their next draw. They face Reading at home which doesn’t seem half as daunting as their last two FA Cup fixtures.

After Bradford’s win against Sunderland FA Cup hero Jon Stead said: “This tops the Chelsea win because of the expectation on us.”

Expectation will be even greater over Reading and playing at Wembley could top everything for Phil Parkinson’s side.

Other ties include Liverpool v Blackburn and a West Midlands Derby for newly appointed manager Tim Sherwood  as his side Aston Villa face West Bromwich Albion.

The quarter finals on 7-8 March looks unmissable for Lollipop and the surprises may just keep on coming for one side.

A Dreadful finish but a promising start for Andy Murray

Lollipop and I witnessed no surprises this morning in the Australian Open. World no.1 Novak Djokovic won in four sets over  a frustrated four time Aussie finalist Andy Murray 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-0.

Despite a physically thrilling two and a half sets between the tennis rivals which saw our Scot win a gripping rally to lead 5-2 in the second and converting his third set point.

When Djokovic netted a forehand to drop serve at the start of the third set, Murray appeared to have finally gained the initiative after two-and-a-half hours. But Djokovic fought back to break serve and what two time Melbourne finalist Pat Cash described as a “meltdown” from Murray soon occurred.

“He needs a good, hard look in the mirror and to get his head together,” said Cash to BBC Radio 5 Live.

“He has not put up a great fight. He hasn’t. Don’t put a rose tint on this.” 

BBC Commentator John Lloyd- a beaten finalist at the Australian Open also berated Murray’s performance and said: “He unfortunately went back to his old, pre-Lendl days, where things weren’t going right and he’d blame his group and get negative.”

“But to give the match away because of those lapses is inexcusable from a person that has won two Grand Slams. It again showed his weakness and he has to correct that.”

The two time grand slam winner was given a stern telling off from critics but not from Lollipop. Yes we were disappointed to see the match slip away so quickly. Yes we were at times just as disgruntled as Murray but our champ made a bold move  in 2014. After controversially choosing Aussie Open champion Amelie Mauresmo as his coach and hailing their partnership when he won a thrilling semi final against Tomas Berdych earlier this week the Scot has brought female coaches to the forefront.

After his collapse on court today some may question their partnership but since his back surgery in 2013 Mauresmo has taken him so much further at the start of this year.

For Lollipop this loss is not a disappointing finish but a promising start to 2015 which Murray can only improve upon.

Cash is right. “He melted down, he absolutely collapsed.” Murray and Mauresmo can’t hide away from that. It is a mental niggle that needs to be snuffed away from his game before he can win another slam.

Djokovic had his own mini meltdowns throughout the final hurting his hand in a fall and appearing to struggle with an ankle problem early in the second set. He then left the court after he lost the set.

There were some concerned looks to coach Boris Becker in the stands. He stumbled on more than one occasion and required some energy-boosting fluids at a break down in the third set.

But unlike Murray he found his control and ability to comeback. Then to win in the final set 6-0 shows what an incredible 5 time Australian Open champion Lollipop and I were watching.

“I would like to congratulate Novak – it is a fantastic record and thoroughly deserved,” said Murray.

We could not have put it better ourselves. But we know our Scot will return. Like he said after the final this is his most consistent grand slam throughout his career however he just has not won it. Yet…