It was not always pretty but Otago coach Georgie Salter gave her side a tentative pass mark after its opening match in the national championship.
A relatively young Otago side beat Waikato 60-53 at the Lion Foundation Arena on Saturday night.
But while it was impressive in patches, Otago was guilty of losing intensity and handing the momentum back to the opposition through silly mistakes or sloppy netball, Salter said.
"I thought it was an anxious first-up match . . . but we came through," she said.
"We played well defensively but we threw away too much ball when we had pulled away.
"I think we can go any way, and you saw that out on the court.
But being good some of the time is not good enough.
So we need to get a bit better."
Otago led 47-42 going into the final 15min and seemed well placed to win comfortably.
But, as it had done throughout the match, it went off the boil.
A held ball and a loose pass led to Waikato scoring the first five goals and drawing level.
But defender and player of the day Hannah Broederlow made some telling intercepts in the final 10min and promising goal shoot Greir Campbell held her composure to help Otago seal the win.
While Salter was pleased her side had come away with the four points, she said Otago had plenty of work to do before playing a talented Auckland Waitakere side in Auckland this weekend.
"It will be an interesting game.
"They've got a bit more experience than us and their defence will be all over us.
"So it will be a good test for them."
