Players are working overtime to try to create some magic, stay in the fight and bring back the scoreline.
But you cannot win games without scoring off your own centre pass or picking up gains on defence.
The Steel fell 62-38 against the Central Pulse in Wellington tonight.
The Steel only converted 53% of its centre passes, to the Pulse’s 78%, and picked up seven gains to the Pulse’s 21.
The Steel, however, did produce a better final quarter.
There was more width and depth on attack, better flow through the court and Kate Burley and Courtney Elliott worked together to pick up more ball on defence.
Yet it was a disappointing performance, two days after the Steel pushed the Northern Stars, only losing by two goals.
The Pulse were slick and made the Steel pay across the court.
Tiana Metuarau, playing her 100th game, was silky smooth throughout the court and showed her class.
Georgia Heffernan continued to grow for the Steel in the shooting circle.
She showed a lot of maturity against an experienced Pulse defensive unit, and scored the goal of the game, with her toes just inside the circle for a long bomb at the end of the first half.
It was a physical encounter, with bodies mopping the floor regularly for both sides.
There were early signs of trouble for the Steel, coughing up offensive contacts and giving the Pulse a 4-0 lead.
Metuarau’s court craft was second to none and really led her side down in the attacking end.
That gave the Pulse the opportunity to get its timing right and its flow through the court was solid.
Once the Steel’s defensive circle adjusted, it shut down the first option in to the circle and made the Pulse work a little more.
Equally, at the other end, Kelly Jury and Kristiana Manu’a were all over everything and confused the space for the Steel.
The Steel struggled to get the volume of ball to its shooters but came right at the end of the quarter to trail by 5.
Jess Allan replaced Saviour Tui at the break, changed the timing in the visitors’ attack end and was more comfortable at the post than other games.
The Pulse were calm on attack, with Maddy Gordon and Whitney Souness having all the time in the world with the ball.
But when they chose to ramp it up, their ball speed and change of direction ripped the defence apart.
Burley did everything she could at the back for the Steel and some questionable calls went against her in the circle.
The Pulse went on a run of five at the end of the quarter and it is allowing those runs that have cost the Steel all the season.
Otherwise, who knows what the score could be.
But the Pulse pushed on and went up by 10 at half time.
The Steel now return to Dunedin on Sunday to play Mainland Tactix at the Edgar Centre.
