A CLOSE and heavily-contested game of netball was fought out at the Wangaratta Showgrounds on ANZAC Day, but it was Myrtleford standing tall after the hour’s play.

The Saints held firm against a gun Magpies squad to salute 44-40 on Friday evening, recording their first win of the 2025 season.

The Magpies came out firing early, but the Saints were strong enough to match them across the court.

Myrtleford only trailed by three goals after the first 15 minutes, and cut the margin by one at the half.

The Saints’ second half was a marked improvement, as stunning defensive efforts and precision passing and shooting allowed Myrtleford to eat up the margin and even take a narrow lead heading into the final term.

Pressure mounted, but the Saints stood tall to run out winners by just four goals.

It was a brilliant way to salute one of the club’s best, with Emma Sharp celebrating her 250th match for the Saints.

Myrtleford senior coach Olivia La Spina said her side never wavered for the duration of the match.

“We went in full of confidence that we could do it, so to get the win was really exciting,” she said.

“I think someone said it was the first time in over 10 years Myrtleford A grade has beaten Wangaratta.

“I knew we had it in us to get over the line, we weren’t playing poor netball, it was just a miss of goals.

“As it got closer, towards the end of the third quarter, I knew we’d stay in front if we got that one goal lead and that’s exactly what happened.

“It was definitely a four-quarter effort, I kept having to cheer the girls up at every break.

“I think our defensive pressure was what won us the game, all the way down the court, it just felt like we suffocated them to a degree with our defensive pressure.

“With that, there’s a lot of energy you’re exerting, so for them to be able to do that for 60 minutes was really great.”

Wish shooter Daisy O’Kane battling a back injury, it was a chance for Taylah Reidy to dominate under the ring.

“I said to Tay [Reidy] and Em [Sharp] during the week we’d probably have to have them together, they play beautifully together, their connection is so great after playing CBL last season.

“It gave Tay a bit of a breather, I thought Wang’s defence when Tay was in GA in the first half was really solid, and she was probably getting a bit rattled herself, so to put her back in GS gave her a breather.

“It showed in her confidence shooting, she was just letting some balls go which were very similar to how she would shoot in the O&K, just so light and full of confidence, and she really found that on the weekend.”

Myrtleford head to JC Lowe Oval this weekend to take on a limping Yarrawonga Pigeons outfit.

“I saw on the weekend they had a lot of injuries come from their A grade game, which I think were quite significant, so I don’t know they’re going to shape up, which is sometimes good or bad,” La Spina said.

“The team we see on the weekend will not necessarily be their strongest team of the year, but if there are four points up for grabs we know we’ve got to take it.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to get another win on the board and carry that momentum in from last weekend.”

It was grim news in the other grades, with the B grade side losing by 19 goals, C grade by 14, the 17 and under team by 11, and the 15 and under squad by 18.