A strong start and a solid finish were enough for Adelaide Thunderbirds to account for Mainland Tactix 62-51 in a patchy trans-Tasman netball league match.
The Tactix won the middle half-hour 30-25, but lacked consistency and accuracy on attack in the opening and closing quarters at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch.
It was the Thunderbirds' third win of the season and although it didn't lift them off the bottom of the Australian conference, there were encouraging signs for the 2013 champions.
They dominated the midcourt against the winless Tactix with centre Leigh Waddington and wing attack Emily Beaton shifting an impressive volume of ball into shooters Carla Borrego and Erin Bell.
The Thunderbirds played with pace and accuracy on attack and set up a smothering through-court defence which generated a power of turnover ball in the first quarter.
Bell and Borrego converted efficiently and the Thunderbirds went into the first break with an 18-9 lead.
The Tactix lifted in the second spell, helped by a midcourt switch of Erikana Pedersen on for Keshia Grant, who had struggled against Australian Diamonds wing defence Renae Hallinan.
With shooters Bailey Mes and Mwai Kumwenda finding more space, and their midcourters more willing to let the ball go, the Tactix held Adelaide level at 14-14 for the quarter as the Australian side took a 32-23 lead into halftime.
The Thunderbirds looked set to run away with the third quarter, opening out to a 40-29 before the Tactix battled back.
They played with plenty of variety in the front third and their defensive trio worked as a unit to pressure Borrego and Bell, restricting them to 11 goals from 16 attempts.
Kumwenda and Mes sunk 16 from 17, including the last five of the quarter, to haul back Adelaide's lead to 43-39 with 15 minutes remaining.
The Tactix lost Pedersen early in the final quarter to a knee injury and young replacement Chloe Williamson couldn't replicate her drive at centre as the Thunderbirds ran away with the final quarter and the game.
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