A gritty win from Gibraltar Netball against Malta after yesterday's defeat

Gibraltar 54-48 Malta

Gibraltar faced Malta on the second day of competition in the Europe Netball Division 2. While Gibraltar had faced defeat at the hands of France, Malta entered the match buoyed by their 46-31 victory over Switzerland the previous day, making them the favorites against Gibraltar, a situation to which Gibraltar was not accustomed in recent seasons.

Gibraltar started on a positive note, scoring directly from their center pass and then retaining possession. Although the scores remained level in the first minutes, with Malta making some good recoveries, Gibraltar's stronger presence on the court saw them marginally ahead, taking the lead 4-3 in the first five minutes. Gibraltar’s goalkeeper was kept busy, but a gritty performance in the initial minutes ensured that Malta’s confidence was quickly dampened.

With Ruiz in sharp shooting form, Gibraltar continued ahead to 6-5. The wake-up call from being beaten by France the previous day ensured that Gibraltar came out with a determined mentality, opening up a three-point lead. Surprisingly, despite the two nations being equally matched in physical aspects, Malta had a significant height advantage, which played a key role for them.

After being three points in the lead, Gibraltar had to protect their advantage as Malta closed to within a point with three minutes of the first quarter left. Malta’s height at the back caused difficulties in finding a path to shooters. However, Gibraltar found their way around these difficulties, with both Pozo and Ruiz focused on their shooting. Quick delivery of passes and constant movement saw Gibraltar regain their lead, extending it to five points at 12-8. Malta did not score until the final minute, with the score at 13-9, and Gibraltar extended it to 14-9 by the end of the first quarter.

Maintaining their momentum and gritty determination, with Ruiz and Pozo interchanging roles, Gibraltar opened up the gap further to go 18-9 ahead. Interceptions and quick transitions sliced through Malta’s defense, extending the nine-point lead early in the second quarter to an eleven-point lead with some great shooting. This early lead contrasted sharply with their first match against France, where they had struggled to get into the game.

It was Malta who struggled to find their game, with effective defending by Hartman and Ocana and quick transitions through the middle. With the shooters focused and knowing they led, Gibraltar maintained their momentum. With nine minutes left before halftime, Gibraltar led 23-10 and looked to extend their lead. Some attempts at playing long ball passes temporarily slowed Gibraltar’s momentum as Malta intercepted crosses. Returning to the quick, shorter passing that had served them well, Gibraltar reignited their scoring, going ahead 26-12 with five minutes left to halftime.

With two matches to be played on the same day, Gibraltar rotated players to manage physical fitness. This did not impact their performance significantly, as they maintained their lead, keeping a fourteen-point gap that pressured their opponents. Even with Malta’s height advantage and good defending, Gibraltar’s pace and points lead proved difficult for Malta to overcome, extending their lead to 30-15 before halftime. Gibraltar entered the halftime break with a 32-17 lead.

Malta opened the scoring in the third quarter, but Gibraltar quickly returned to their scoring pattern. Malta managed to reduce the gap to 33-21 early on, as Gibraltar started the third quarter slowly. Despite this, the cushion Gibraltar had gained allowed them to manage physical exertion, with another big match to be played later in the evening. As Malta closed the gap to ten points, Gibraltar found their pace and started scoring again, making it 36-23.

Malta upped their game in the third quarter, reducing the score gap to within nine points at one point. However, Gibraltar remained comfortable with their lead, protecting it effectively despite Malta having a better scoring rate in the quarter. With five minutes left in the quarter, the score was 39-28. The third quarter saw several players slipping on the newly rolled court, although no injuries were recorded.

Gibraltar reached the forty-point mark with three minutes left, firing up Malta as they faced the confidence-busting forty points. Exceptional partnership between Pozo and Ruiz overcame Malta’s effective defensive pairing. Despite this, Gibraltar maintained their lead and momentum, conceding 17 points to eleven in the third quarter. Gibraltar led 43-34 at the end of the quarter, with pressure on Malta to surpass their third-quarter success in the final quarter.

As the fourth quarter started, Malta showed grit in defense, denying Gibraltar the first point. Malta scored first and had an opportunity to double it through the center pass, but good pressing returned the ball to Gibraltar, with Ruiz scoring and Gibraltar attempting to score again. It was a fast-paced start to the fourth quarter from both sides, with quick transitions, although not always resulting in points. Malta reduced the gap to seven points at 44-37 after four minutes of play. Gibraltar had to tighten control on their possession and increase momentum to avoid losing their well-earned lead.

Lindsey Ocana, returning to her regular back position, had a tough, bruising match but maintained composure despite several hard tumbles. Gibraltar’s resilience maintained the points gap, alternating between eight and nine points. Halfway through the quarter, Malta was within seven points at 47-40. Malta continued to cut the gap, but Gibraltar found their fluidity again, with Ruiz bringing the gap back to eight points after it was reduced to six.

With six minutes left, the pressure was on Gibraltar to keep Malta at bay and reduce their scoring potential. Going point for point, Gibraltar achieved their aims as the minutes ticked away. The match took on new urgency, favoring Gibraltar as they maintained an eight-point gap with four minutes left. Malta was effectively stalled by Gibraltar, with the score at 52-44 with three minutes left, setting up an exciting finale.

Keeping possession well and moving the ball effectively, Gibraltar won the time game as the score reached 54-46 with a minute left. Despite Malta’s tireless effort to close the fifteen-point gap, a determined Gibraltar side, pushing beyond their previous day’s defeat, stamped their mark on the competition with their first win. Gibraltar won 54-48 in an exciting match.

Gibraltar play Switzerland later this evening.