Harleston Magpies manager John Adams hails side’s performances after survival in Super 6s Championships

Manager John Adams stated his Ladies side ‘did Harleston Magpies proud’ as they battled against the country’s best in their first season back in the Super 6s Championships’ Premier Division since 2015.

Sitting in sixth place heading into the second weekend of the tournament, one win, two draws and one loss saw the Magpies retain that spot in the nine-team division, come the end of the competition.

This was five points ahead of the bottom two positions and six points off the top four spots. If they had achieved a top-four finish, it would have sent them through to the finals day.

“I could not speak higher of them and I’m incredibly proud of how well they all performed over the two weekends. It was an incredible achievement,” said Adams.

“I told them that individually, they had done themselves incredibly proud in the way they played. But also, they had done Harleston Magpies proud.

“I think the team were ecstatic and very, very pleased with what they had achieved.

“Ultimately, there was a tinge of what could have been. We were probably a hair’s breadth away from making the top four.”

The Magpies opened the weekend with a 5-5 draw against second-placed Slough before beating Leicester City 3-2. However, a 5-3 defeat to Surbiton and a 6-6 draw to Guilford on Sunday saw their top-four dreams disappear.

While incredibly proud of their achievements, Adams admitted their was a hint of disappointment.

The Magpies knew that if they had won their last two games of the competition they would have guaranteed themselves a place in the finals day.

However, Adams set his side the target of surviving in the Premier Division, and they cruised to safety across the two weekends.

The Ladies’ manager labelled their success as ‘one hell of an achievement’.

“They are such a young, special and talented side,” he said.

“I find it very difficult to name names. You either have to name all 12 or you name none.

“It is a team, a squad, and every single one of those players in their own way contributed massively over the weekend.”

Adams hopes that they can carry the positivity from the indoor tournament into the second half of their outdoor campaign, which resumes on Saturday with the Magpies, sitting bottom of the Vitality Women's Division 1 South table, hosting Canterbury (2.30pm).

“It’s got to give the girls confidence that they were able to compete at that level against some of the best players in the country. When it comes to outdoors, it’s got to give them belief. Success breeds success,” said Adams.