In the end due to results elsewhere this was a meaningless game but only in terms of final League placings. On the court both teams certainly played with meaning and gave their all in the full forty minutes. A game where both teams were close for a lengthy period until the final quarter.

Those ten minutes were the decisive part of the contest as once again the Eagles short rotation and a crucial injury to Andrea Daley with four minutes left in the game proved pivotal. Newcastle were still just about in the contest when Daley went off but afterwards could not find a way back.

With Essex beating Manchester and Oaklands defeating Sheffield earlier in the day the Eagles already knew that they were unable to secure a home quarter-final tie even if they had taken a victory against the Gladiators.

They were locked into fifth place which means a trip to Oaklands Wolves next weekend to see if they can extend their season for another week. That will be a tough match-up for Head Coach Chloe Gaynor and her side with the Eagles having lost to Wolves three times this season so far.

Those playoffs await both teams and Saturday’s encounter was as good a preparatory game that either side and coach could wish for. Gaynor seeing her side slug it out with one of the League’s top teams and knowing that with the addition of a couple of players it could have been closer.

Caledonia Coach Chantelle Handy seeing her side show real character to come back from the Eagles explosive opening and gradually through the game exert their stronger presence and deeper roster. On reflection both will feel it was a very meaningful game.

The Eagles certainly came out flying. Jada Dapaa on her way to an MVP performance on the night getting going early and helped by Sarah Wells and Shanique Lucas Newcastle went 10-2 in front. Gladiators rallied but then Daley and Zoe Willis joined the party and Eagles went up 19-10.

Again, Gladiators came back but two free throws from Daley and a driving lay-up from Dapaa saw Gaynor’s side netted the last four points of the period to take a nine-point advantage in to the second quarter at 23-14.

The second ten minutes though saw Gladiators respond very effectively. They tightened up their defence immeasurably and with the promptings of Anastasia Warren and the inside of play of ex-Eagle Tierra Hodges and Brynn Masikewich they stormed back.

They were dominant throughout the period and by the end of it had turned the game around taking it 23-11 and thus taking a 37-34 interval lead into the locker rooms at the half. Still though a tight game.

The third period emphasised that. Wells who had picked up a slight injury in the second quarter returned to the floor to significant effect and along with Lucas, Daley and Dapaa kept the Eagles in the game. Each time Caledonia threatened to pull away Newcastle answered in kind.

Gladiators though did edge the ten-minute stretch by a single point 23-22 meaning they had a four-point cushion at 60-56 to take into the final stanza. Would it be enough or did the Eagles have one more run left in them.

Well with Hodges in scintillating form backed up well by Masikewich and prompted by Warren they just kept edging further away from the Eagles as the game unfolded. Hodges an MVP double-double effort of 26 points and 10 rebounds and Masikewich adding 9 rebounds to 20 points.

Eagles though kept plugging away and trying to hang on but losing Daley at a vital time put an end to their resistance as Caledonia took full advantage with an 11-2 run to seal the deal on the win and take them to the same end of regulation season record as Champions Sheffield Hatters.

Caledonia lost out to the Hatters for the league title in the end on points difference but a win like this will give them momentum and hope for the playoff stage. They certainly have every chance to go deep in that respect.

Eagles, despite her injury were still led in scoring by birthday girl Daley. On her 23^rd birthday she netted 22 points adding 5 rebounds. But Dapaa was awarded MVP as she continued a fine return from injury with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Wells had 12 points after a fine third quarter and Lucas was her usual bundle on energy with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists. There was also one special moment when Under-18s graduate Grace Rae netted her first points at senior level and logged her most minutes of the season.

For Gaynor and her players, a 19-point defeat was perhaps harsh. Their efforts deserved more and they can take a lot of positives from the game. They now have a week to prepare for Oaklands and will hope that they can produce a winning formula to extend their campaign.