ZenZero Orange have busted the rust by winning an important clash in big-scoring fashion.

The rebranded ‘Rezzers’ overcame significant rivals Pula Blaze 72-53 to inject much-needed impetus into their new Winter League Premier Division campaign, following on from having their last match postponed due to a power cut and not playing the previous week.

They are also a much-changed side from last season, in which they won the regular league but lost the play-off final, and captain Gemma Batiste felt that in the early minutes at Les Varendes.

‘It was a bit of a slow start, but we are playing with a completely different squad to what we were playing with last year,’ she said.

‘We have lost a few through pregnancy and players that have relocated and left the island, and it has taken some time to gel.’

ZenZero eventually came through the first quarter with a slight lead, at 15-14, having to contend with in-form GS Ella Staples among other threats.

But their own GS, young Taylor Callanan, was also on fire and combined effectively with long-term great Verona Tomlin as they found their rhythm and established a 36-25 lead by half-time.

B team step-up Viviane Kamworth came in to support their somewhat depleted defence in the second half, during which they continued their high-scoring assault.

They won quarter three 18-12 but were given a stiffer test in the final stanza, where they extended their advantage by only another two goals.

Shooters Staples and Callanan shared out player of the match honours for what captain Batiste felt was a ‘really nicely-contested game’.

‘To get so many points in a netball game is really good,’ she said.

‘It’s great we are able to keep up that momentum through the game and close it out.’

She praised the performances across the squad and now hopes they can maintain these winning ways, including against the in-form Specsavers Lightning Strike, who they were due to face in the postponed match.

‘We’re just hoping to continue to build the momentum through the rest of the season.’

That same Lightning Strike had shot down ZenZero’s B team, Black, 56-37 in the previous match slot.

Strike defied their own lack of recent action and took it out hard to lead 16-9 at the quarter.

With just seven players available, they were short of options, but they did not seem to need them as they worked well off the centre pass and through attack. This was backed by GD Anna Fazakerley’s standout defending.

ZenZero faced an injury to their own GD Erin Sullivan at the end of the quarter and so shuffled their line-up significantly.

Savannah Goddard, who was controlling their game at C, was one of just three players maintaining their position after quarter one.

The next quarter proved a dead heat, with Donna Brehaut’s side merely maintaining their lead to hit half-time up 27-20.

But they managed to stamp their dominance in the following two periods, which they won 15-10 and 14-7.

‘After a three-week break, it was great to be back in action,’ captain Brehaut said.

‘It was a pleasing performance and we were pretty much in control of the game from the beginning, albeit Black had a strong second quarter.

‘At times the game felt a lot closer and we did need to work hard.’

GA Bryony de Garis earned POM for an unchanged Lightning squad, with counterpart Lola Wakefield taking the same honours for ZenZero.

The previous night had delivered a close club contest between Lightning’s lower-ranked ‘Prem’ teams, Storm and Flash, resulting in the latter winning by just three goals – 43-40.

A strong start put Flash 13-9 up against the particularly youthful Storm at the quarter, but their rivals outperformed them by one goal in the following period, making it 23-20.

After the third quarter Storm had edged ahead, 34-33, but they were unable to get across the line against the more experienced opposition.

Flash WD Sophie Pontin shared out the player honours with her on-court opponent, WA Elysia de la Mare.