Fellow strugglers Kent County – themselves on a run of six successive losses – claimed maximum points for the first time this season with a 43-39 triumph at home, after an under-strength Jets had shown serious promise in quarter three.
The Islanders netted five unanswered goals after half-time to move three ahead and give themselves hope of a first victory in seven outings, only to have their dreams quickly dashed by Kent runs of four and six goals to Jets’ two.
‘It’s just crackers,’ said head coach Andrews.
‘We just can’t work out why it happened. We were dominating it and then … I can’t even put my finger on why it went like that.
‘On Friday night we had news that Emily Green was injured and Tallula Norman was ill, which was gutting as we had started to get some momentum with the players we’ve been working with for the last few weeks. But Lily Jones and Becca Forrest came in and did really well.
‘We were really pleased with the first quarter [9-9], and in the third we had a brilliant start. We got five goals to go 25-22 up and I thought “this is it, we’re going to push on from here” and we had so many interceptions and turnovers. Our defensive unit was amazing.
‘Then it literally just fell apart.’
Kent were able to deploy a Super League player in mid-court to help steer them away from trouble, and despite the best efforts of 15-year-old Jones in attack the hosts dragged themselves off the foot of the league table – at Jets’ expense.
Andrews added: ‘Having that Super League player made such a difference for them. She read the game beautifully and I think that might have rocked us. We were looking out for her rather than focusing on what we should have been doing.’
Jets – who were forced to start their warm-up on the team bus after severe traffic delays – now lie two points adrift of Kent in Premier League 3. Leaders Sussex Thunder, who have won seven from seven, visit Fort Regent this coming weekend.
