JERSEY’S J United netball side suffered two successive defeats in the South-West Premier League on Sunday, but coach Ally Meredith is confident that they can get their revenge in their next matches.

United lost to Plymouth Pilgrims 51-44 and were then beaten following a close battle with St Austell Marjons 39-37.

‘They are disappointing results but we will play both teams again this season and both are beatable,’ explained Meredith.

‘Unfortunately we only travelled with nine players compared to the usual 12, as we had so many players unavailable, so it was a bit of a struggle.

However, we stayed within range to earn bonus points in both matches.’ Against Plymouth, Jersey started slowly and were behind by three goals at the end of the first quarter.

However, Meredith said that the team were superb in the next two quarters, winning both by two goals to take the lead.

Plymouth, who have a semi-professional head coach along with a separate attacking and defensive coach, made changes for the final quarter and pulled away to win.

Against St Austell, whose coach is an assistant with England, Jersey dominated from the start and showed patches of brilliance, but as in the first game, they were unable to maintain their high-level challenge to the final whistle.

‘We just seemed to run out of legs and started getting to the ball second,’ explained Meredith.

‘It was the first time some of them had to play eight quarters in one day, which was tough, but it was a superb effort from all the players.

‘I’m proud of them.

We were expecting this season – our first at this level – to only be going for bonus points and we’ve already won games, so the season so far has been a success.’ J United: Jenna Meredith (captain), Hayley Miller, Laura Macfarlane, Jacy Brown, Nicole Goddard, Sarah Thatcher, Calli Bushell, Lynsey Pitman, Emma Carré.