Merewether remained unbeaten while Mid North Coast surged into third place after strong performances in Herald Women’s Premier League round-eight action over the weekend.

United were too good for South Wallsend, downing the Wolves 5-2 at Walker Fields on Sunday while Mid North Coast defeated Thornton 3-0 at Thornton Park for their second win of the season.

Defending champions Warners Bay beat Adamstown 5-2 at Adamstown Oval on Saturday to retain second place with 18 points, three adrift of United and 11 clear of Mid North Coast.

Merewether coach Cass Koppen said “we played ordinary but got the result in the end”.

United led 2-0 midway through the first half after Hannah Sunasky and Tayla Braithwaite both found the back of the net but then Stacey Day scored for the hosts to bridge the gap to one goal heading to the break.

The visitors extended the lead to 3-1 early in the second half when midfielder Jane McDonald’s shot from range was deflected into the net.

The hosts hit back through Gemma Pearce and the game hung in the balance until Rhali Dobson scored then Braithwaite completed a match brace.

“We’re still scoring plenty of goals, which is pleasing, but we just need to get control of the game a bit earlier,” Koppen said.

Cassidy Davis and Jenna Kingsley both scored doubles in Warners Bay’s win on Saturday.

BDAFL: Bulldogs show plenty of bite

Last year’s beaten grand finalists Newcastle City and defending champions Nelson Bay remain the only teams still unbeaten after four rounds of women’s Black Diamond AFL.

The Blues were easy victors in a 23.14 (152) to 1.4 (10) win over Maitland on Saturday but the Marlins had to work hard for their competition points.

They led by just three points at three-quarter time before eventually winning 4.8 (32) to 2.3 (15).

Newcastle City and Nelson Bay sit atop the competition ladder with 16 points each.

Warners Bay backed up their thrilling round-three victory over Cardiff with a comprehensive win over Newcastle Novas.

The Bulldogs downed the competition newcomers 15.15 (105) to 1.3 (9) and are one of four teams on 12 points and in a log-jam for third place.

The others are Killarney Vale, Wyong Lakes and Gosford.

Gosford downed Lake Macquarie 13.10 (88) to 3.0 (18), Wyong Lakes beat Cardiff 4.10 (34) to 4.5     (29) while Singleton recorded their first ever win in the competition with a 8.15 (63) to 0.0 (0) win over Muswellbrook.

Basketball: Hunters go down without Suzy

It was a tough night at the office for the Newcastle Hunters at Broadmeadow on Saturday.

Playing without triple Olympian Suzy Batkovic, who was ruled out on game day because of an ongoing back injury, the defending Waratah Basketball League women’s champions were thumped 90-52 by the star-studded Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

They were in trouble early, trailing 17-6 after the first quarter and 42-20 at half-time, and the Sea Eagles increased their lead throughout the second half.

Captain Alison Ebzery posted a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double for Newcastle, who slipped to sixth with a 2-4 record, and playmaker Cherub Lum scored a team-high 15 points.

Manly were led by former Australian Opals forward Belinda Snell (24 points, seven rebounds, seven assists) and Waratah League leading scorer Erin Todd (24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, six steals).

“It’s pretty simple - you’ve got to put the ball in the hole. Manly shot 41 per cent and we shot 26 per cent, so we need to become more aggressive defensively,” Newcastle coach Mark Gledson said.

“We had a similar number of shots as Manly but they made more than we did. Rebounding was another issue. It’s an effort area and we were very poor as Manly out-rebounded us 54-38.”

Netball: Souths beat Forsythes again

Former NSW junior representative shooter Brooke Fennings returned from more than two years of injury torment to help lead Souths Lions to victory over Forsythes in the Newcastle Open netball grand final rematch.

The Lions won 52-45 in Greater Open Championship action on Saturday, and 19-year-old Fennings played her first full game since two knee operations curtailed her career.

The teenager shot at 79 per cent and worked well with veteran goal attack Tiffany Gilmour.

The Lions have beaten Forsythes in the past three grand finals and the two sides sit equal second on the ladder with 2-1 win-loss records.

Wests maintained their perfect record with a 71-16 victory over Souths Pride on Saturday, BNC edged out Maryville Tavern 44-42, and Nova Thunder downed Junction Stella 44-35.

Leaguetag: Central take the spoils

Central Newcastle emerged victorious in a tight Newcastle Rugby League ladies leaguetag clash with Lakes United over the weekend.

Central won 12-10 in a nail-biting affair.

Maitland easily accounted for Macquarie, winning 36-0 and Wests Newcastle defeated Kurri Kurri 20-0. The South Newcastle-Cessnock match was deferred.

Hockey: Tigers finish on top

Tigers downed Oxfords 3-2 in a fiercely contested Newcastle Central Coast Women’s Premier League clash at Newcastle International Hockey Centre on Saturday.

The match see-sawed and was locked at one-all at the break after Kirsten Drysdale scored for Tigers with the game just 15 seconds old then Oxfords levelled late in the half through a penalty corner.

Oxfords took a 2-1 advantage in the second period before Kirsten Drysdale again put the sides on level terms with 15 minutes remaining.

Sharon Williams found the winner for Tigers late in the match.

Souths beat Erina 5-0 and Avoca were 3-2 winners over Central.

Regals took an under-strength team to the Central Coast and drew 2-2 with Gosford.

Send your women’s sports news to r.valentine@fairfaxmedia.com.au.