St Barnabas' midcourt player Alicia Harding, with rebound, moving away from the challenge of Ingrid Folkes of Silver Raiders in senior division netball play at the Netball Stadium Monday night.

Structural Systems Silver Raiders held off a determined St Barnabas netball team to score a hard fought 47-40 victory in senior division at the netball Stadium on Monday night.

Coach Sonya Knight told NATIONSPORTS after their victory that prayers did if for the teamand "to God be the glory.

God in front

"We always pray before, during and at the end of every match and tonight was no exception, We always put God in front.

"We came into the match knowing it would have been a tough game, but we had our game plan. Yes there were a few things that we could have done differently, a few areas that need tightening up, which we will pay attention to but I am happy with the result," Knight said.

It was the first meeting between the two teams for this season and no doubt both were looking to make early in-roads into each other's defence.

Defence blunders

The first quarter ended with the scores locked on 12 goals, but from the second quarter the Raiders began to stamp their dominance, helped by some poor marking and defence blunders by their opponents.

The match was scrappy at intervals and even got physical on a number of occasions. However, the referees kept things under control by cautioning the offending players from both sides.

After the first-quarter deadlock, Raiders took over the lead, finishing ahead at the second quarter 23–21, and at the third at 36-29.

However, a comfortable seven-goal advantage was maintained right up to the final whistle and this sent the Raiders large supporters into wild celebration.

For Raiders, Laurel Browne netted 43 of her 53 attempts, while Denise Alleyne scored 34 of her43 tries for Pinehill.

Scores in the other matches were:

Sealy Int Div 3: M & N Auto St Marks 23 Bico Delight 22.

Sinkler Int Div 4: Banks Spurs 19, C O Williams Rangers 23.

Sinkler Int Div 4: Pine Medical 32, Beverley Hills 32 with

Carolyn Brancker-White 16/26, and Dianne Harper 16/19 for Pine Medical, while Keisha Griffith 19/28 and Kimberley Brathwaite 13/29 scored for Beverley Hills.

Mayers Int 6: Beverley Hills 24, Flashback 21. (CH)