There’s a temptation to roll out the cliches after a result and performance where Newcastle lost at home by 36 points. After 4 successive wins ‘the honeymoon period’s over’, ‘you learn more about your team in defeat than in victory’ being two.

Truth is the Eagles were overpowered by a very good Sheffield side that played to their strengths better than Head Coach Chloe Gaynor’s charges played to theirs. Sheffield’s ball movement was excellent, their off-ball movement very good, their shooting much more clinical.

Meaning in the final analysis a very impressive result on the road for Hatters and a first taste of defeat for Gaynor as a Head Coach. Perhaps a sobering awakening for Gaynor and her players although reflecting on the loss Gaynor was still upbeat.

“We didn’t really commit to what we needed to do. We went in with a clear game plan which at times we executed well but not for the entirety of the game or the portion of the game we needed to show the calibre of the team we are against a high-powered team.”

Sheffield’s dominance showed up in the end of game statistics which were true to the flow of the game. Hatters shooting 49% overall, 53% from 2-point range, 41% from 3-point range compared with Eagles 33% made up of 38% inside and 15% from the outer.

Newcastle were also outrebounded massively. They conceded 57 rebounds only managing 24 in reply which certainly assisted Sheffield in making their shooting as effective.

“The rebounds were a factor but they only scored nine second chance points off them so I thought we did a good job in contesting them. We knew we were going to lose the rebounding battle but it was just how we managed that.”

“The shots that were given up were either uncontested threes or lay-ups around the basket which we had said we were going to take away and to do that we need to play better team defence which is something we can look at as a team.”

“It may seem strange to say but we almost needed that defeat and I needed that to find out more about us with me as coach to see how we react in certain circumstances. How what we put on the floor can work, could work moving forward. The first game after Christmas against a top team is a good one to see those things.”

Gaynor didn’t take a single time-out in the second half to try and change the game but she had very sound reasoning behind that decision.

“I wanted to see what the team had. I did give some solutions throughout to see how the team could adjust but what we’re trying to do is have a player led team and them trying to find solutions for themselves within what we have put on the floor.”

“There’s going to be times when yes, I will call time-outs but at times when we thought about it we just had a bit of momentum and I actually had called one that I cancelled. At times we need energy plays. It was a matter of us not maintaining that momentum.”

“I think that’s something that I’m experimenting with a little bit and again it was a good game to do that in. Against a team like Sheffield, we need to see if we can find and maintain momentum and how we progress with that.”

For the Eagles Abby Lowe and Jada Guinn led the scoring with 12 points each and Tierra Hodges had 11. But Sheffield did a great defensively on the Eagles main threats minimising the effectiveness of the usual Newcastle weapons.

Newcastle will review and re-group and have a very important Championship next Saturday at the Vertu Motors Arena against Nottingham Wildcats where they’ll look to get back to winning ways.

Tickets are available for the Wildcats visit from the box office.