Southend swifts three elder girls' teams had league encounters at Hockley's Greensward College and won two of them.

In the national junior, Swifts beat Spelthorne Acers 85-74 with a 37-point effort from Amy Andrews being the highlight of a slightly disappointing performance.

In the National Cadet League Central, Swifts beat West Herts Warriors 105-55. The seasiders were minus 6 ft 3 in captain Rebecca Rambin.

Jane Barclay (29), Abi Dempsey (25), Heather Clarkson (17) and Emma Hart (16) led the way in a great ton-up performance.

In the Senior League Division Two South, Swifts failed to maintain their 100 per cent record.

The opposition, Spelthorne Acers, won 78-69 -- thanks largely to the performance of 6 ft 2 in England international Caroline Ayres who ended with 41 points.

Swifts battled all the way and reduced the arrears to 64-60 - troubling the visiting coach so much that he was ejected from the gym following an altercation with the referee.

Sarah Wagstaff (18), Fran Hitt (15), Amy Andrews (14) and Jo Andrews (13) led the Swifts' scoring.

In their first match of the new year, Swifts junior men, in National League area south, beat Waltham Forest Spitfires by a one point margin (64-63).

Published Tuesday January 20, 2004

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