Pulse keep 100% Super League record with win over Thunder

London Pulse's superb start to the Netball Super League season continued with a hard-fought 61-56 victory over Manchester Thunder.

Pulse's win was their sixth straight victory in as many games and puts them six points clear of second-placed Thunder in the standings.

Olivia Tchine's prowess at goal shooter proved key as she scored 37 goals for Pulse, which took her tally to 223 for the season.

Thunder counterpart Elmere van der Berg managed 16 by comparison as Pulse defended impressively against the South African.

Pulse, who joined NSL in 2019, felt their way into the contest and had a 29-26 lead at half-time.

At one point, Pulse established a seven-point cushion in the third quarter but Thunder finished it strongly and reduced the deficit to three at 46-43.

The home side's work-rate and clinical finishing ultimately proved the difference at London's Copper Box Arena, though, as they closed out the match.

With just under a minute remaining, Tchine twice kept her composure and on this occasion Thunder had no answer.

On Saturday, defending champions Loughborough Lightning moved up to third in the table with a 69-57 win over London Mavericks.

Goal-shooter Samantha Wallace-Joseph led the way with 22 goals, as Lightning edged a tight first half 37-32 before holding on for a win, with Mavericks dropping one place to fourth.

Emily Andrew top-scored with 19 goals for the Mavericks while Lightning goal-defence Shadine van der Merwe was named player of the match.

Elsewhere, Birmingham Panthers earned their first Super League win in a one-point thriller against Nottingham Forest in a contest between the league's two newcomers.

Panthers led 54-51 at the end of the third quarter, and withstood a spirited Forest effort to cling on to a 71-70 win.

However, Cardiff Dragons are still waiting for their first win of the season after a 63-52 loss to Leeds Rhinos.

Player of the match Funmi Fadoju of London Pulse: "It was a hard match. Both teams came out and wanted to get that win and we got over the line.

"We knew they were a good team and very talented and we just had to start our own jumps first.

"Being unbeaten feels so good. It gives us so much confidence that we feel we can beat any side out there. We can hopefully push on from here."

London Pulse head coach Sam Bird: "That was a great game to be part of. Thunder were really strong and there was some really good netball all over the court.

"It could have gone either way, but I thought we were calmer in that critical final phase. We're still looking for improvements.

"Today before the game is the most relaxed we've been and I think that belief is there now. We've got over the line and got good momentum now."

Thunder coach Karen Greig: "I'm super proud of the girls. We knew that today was going to be a tough ask for us, and a little bit of inexperience showed at times.

"But the fact is we have pushed a London Pulse team full of superstars. There was a point in that fourth quarter where we could have taken it on.

"We had areas where we lost focus but there's really big positives and near the halfway stage we have more to show."

Round six

Friday, 18 April

London Pulse 61-56 Manchester Thunder

Saturday, 19 April

London Mavericks 57-69 Loughborough Lightning

Birmingham Panthers 71-70 Nottingham Forest

Cardiff Dragons 52-63 Leeds Rhinos

Friday, 25 April

Loughborough Lightning v Birmingham Panthers (19:00)

Leeds Rhinos v Nottingham Forest (19:00)

Sunday, 27 April

London Pulse v Cardiff Dragons (18:00)

Manchester Thunder v London Mavericks (19:00) - live on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app, and on demand