Mixed fortunes on the road as Blue & Gold stun Lightning in magnificent style before being felled by Forest
Team Bath Netball concluded their 2026 NXT Gen League campaign with contrasting results in the East Midlands, winning spectacularly at Loughborough Lightning before slipping to a heavy defeat at Nottingham Forest.
The Blue & Gold named the same starting seven for each match, with Daisy Harrison and Fans’ Player of the Year Poppy Tydeman combining in defence behind the mid-court trio of Ellie Ervine, Becca Hinkins and Lowri Windsor.
Daisy Collett and Lucy Herdman led the attack for Team Bath, who produced a magnificent and clinical performance to win 74-60 at title-chasing Lightning – 46 of those goals coming in the first half alone as the visitors’ stunning ball speed left Loughborough chasing and their structures disrupted.
The hosts were forced into early changes but Team Bath adjusted well to each one and continued to build, meaning that a Lightning surge in the fourth quarter was too late to have any impact
University of Bath Sports Performance student Windsor, who has enjoyed a phenomenal second half of the season, was named as MVP as Team Bath beat Lightning away for the first time in six years at this age group (U21 and equivalent).
Team Bath aimed to pick up where they had left off when they travelled to Nottingham on the final day of the 2026 season and a strong first quarter showed promise, only for the momentum to shift massively in Forest’s favour during a scrappy second period which saw eight unconverted turnovers in a row.
Once Forest had made the decisive break they continued to push and were the stronger side on the day, recording an 86-58 victory. Harrison was named as Team Bath’s MVP.
Expressions of interest are now being accepted from players who would like to be part of Team Bath’s 2027 NXT Gen League squad. Visit netball.teambath.com/player-pathway to find out more.
Team Bath Netball are supported by Bath Building Society and Rengen Developments, who are both overall Team Bath Partners, and Bath Recreation Limited. Flyhawk supply Team Bath Netball’s performance clothing and off-court apparel.
Picture credit: Luke Minett.
