Nottingham Forest sent a powerful message to the Netball Super League with a commanding 70-54 victory over the Birmingham Panthers, but head coach Chelsea Pitman insists her squad is just getting started. The win, fueled by a dominant 43-goal performance from South African star Rolene Streutker, snapped a four-game losing skid and propelled Forest up the table, now sitting just one point behind third-place Manchester Thunder.

"I still think we have a lot more in the tank and we're not even close to our best at the moment, which is exciting for us," Pitman told Sky Sports, highlighting the team's potential for growth. "We just need to make sure we are absolutely ruthless in our execution and just be relentless." This statement of intent underscores a team finding its rhythm after a strong start to the season was interrupted.

The key to their resurgence? A back-to-basics approach, according to player of the match Rolene Streutker. "We've been training really hard and it's just so nice having the results to show for it," she said. "I think we've had a couple of shaky games before this one, so it's really good that we had a great score today." This focus on fundamentals allowed Forest to overpower the Panthers, despite solid efforts from Betsy Creak (24 goals) and Sophie Egbaran (20 goals).

For the Panthers, the result was a lesson in consistency. Head coach Sonia Mkoloma pointed to a lack of clinical play in the second and third quarters as their downfall. "We know it's not good enough and it's below our target," she admitted. "We put ourselves in a bit of a hole." As the season progresses, Forest's blend of raw talent and a refined, disciplined approach makes them a fascinating team to watch, proving that even in victory, the best teams are always looking for another gear.