WHILE out of finals contention, Beechworth’s A grade netballers are still having their say in the TDNA finals race with an upset win over Barnawartha last Saturday.

Having lost their last encounter against the Tigers by 14 goals, the Bushrangers weren’t expected to offer a challenge at Baarmutha Park with a top five spot on the line for their opposition.

After a back and forth start the Bushrangers asserted their authority in the second quarter by piling on 16 goals to 12 to hold onto a one goal lead at the main break.

The Tigers threw their best at Beechworth in the third quarter, but inaccuracy under the ring cost Barnawartha as the Burshrangers held their nerve to run out 54-49 winners in a thriller.

Coach Bailey Lang said the girls were still beaming with smiles at Tuesday night training after putting in their performance of the season.

“It just all came together which was really nice, we played one play at a time and controlled the ball well,” she said.

“Sarah [Robinson] and Eidenne [Surrey] in the midcourt did a huge amount of work which made our job easier as the shooters and Tegan [Chambeyron] and Gina [Garland] were really steady and consistent in defence.

“It was just controlled; we weren’t turning over the ball and played good possession netball.”

Lang and fellow goalie Rachael Cavallin were lights out under the ring, shooting at over 80 per cent combined compared to the Tigers combined 55 per cent goal accuracy.

The win was Beechworth’s fourth on the year which now has them three games behind Barnawartha in ninth.

Lang said the team will again embrace the underdog tag against Tallangatta, who are also on the fringe of fighting for a finals spot going into the last month of the season.

“Tallangatta have some really class players; the last time we played them we had three A graders out, but we’ve got a full side in this weekend so I think it’ll be a bit of a different game.”

For the remaining games this season, Lang said the team will continue to look to blood young talent into its A grade system, with up and coming 17 year olds Emmerson Collins and Tess Bynon expected to have a stint in the top grades after impressing in B grade.

“Our focus this year has really been on junior development, we’ve got three girls who are turning 18 who we’ve been focusing on bringing up into A grade by the end of the year,” Lang said.

“It’s about making sure when we put them on the court they’re surrounded by A graders one at a time.”