Gulf Exposed As Champions Pulse Trounce Panthers

Defending champions London Pulse completed a 3rd consecutive triumph arsenic they brushed speech Birmingham Panthers 78-45 successful Netball Super League - nan biggest winning separator of nan play truthful far.

The consequence astatine nan Copper Box moves Pulse up to 2nd spot successful nan table, overtaking Manchester Thunder who mislaid 68-58 to leaders Loughborough Lightning.

Pulse took early power against winless Panthers, starring 24-8 by nan extremity of nan first 4th and 42-18 astatine nan halfway mark. It was a ruthless effort against a squad who person mislaid each of their matches truthful acold by astatine slightest 10 points.

"We needed a crippled for illustration this. We each came together, we knew precisely what we had to do. We're really proud of ourselves," Pulse's subordinate of nan lucifer Funmi Fadoju told BBC Sport.

"It was truthful important for america to show we're not a one-dimensional team, we person different combos, different structures and they do work. It conscionable gave america assurance going into nan 2nd half of nan season."

Pulse look London Mavericks successful a derby fixture successful nan adjacent round, marking nan halfway shape successful nan regular season.

Coach Sue Bird said Saturday's triumph would thief Pulse property on, pinch nan first-time champions looking to triumph again.

"Building connected what we've done, stepping up nan strength connected everything we do, conscionable becoming a existent menace to play against," said Bird, discussing her scheme for nan remainder of nan campaign.

"There's been definite games wherever we've either had our defence firing aliases our onslaught firing but possibly not everyone together, but erstwhile that comes together for illustration it does coming past we're a very vulnerable team.

"We've been adjusting a mates of things successful training and nan girls person taken that connected really good this week. I cognize erstwhile we're winning ball, that's our identity, and erstwhile we were cooking we'd beryllium fine."

Undefeated Lightning made it six wins successful a statement astatine nan Motorpoint Arena successful Nottingham, pinch Samantha Wallace-Joseph top-scoring pinch 26 goals against Thunder.

Defeat intends Thunder gaffe to third, but they stay up of Nottingham Forest who fell to a 62-57 nonaccomplishment against Dragons successful what was nan first crippled of a double-header successful Nottingham.

Forest's South African world Rolene Streutker led nan scoring successful that fixture pinch 27 goals, but it was not capable to return her broadside to victory.

London Mavericks look Leeds Rhinos successful Saturday's evening fixture (19:00 BST).