Young Men’s Social Club Lady Bluebirds made a perfect start to their Who’s Who Tournament title defence at Bernard Park at the weekend.

The defending champions laid down an early marker after going undefeated in all three of their round-robin matches against Warwick Workman’s Club Panthers, Robin Hood Tigers and Signworx Netts.

And a win from one of their remaining fixtures with YMSC Blazin Bluebirds and YMSC Bluebirds Too may be enough for the cup holders to retain their crown when the tournament — in which players on each team must draw for positions on court — resumes tomorrow.

Danielle Raynor, the Lady Bluebirds goal shooter, is adamant that her team will not be taking their remaining matches for granted. “We will approach these matches the same as we did the others,” she said. “Depending on what position you get, it could change the game just like that, and both teams are pretty versatile as well.

“They have a lot of shooters, so if they get their shooters in a regular position, it could be some fierce competition.”

Lady Bluebirds overpowered Panthers 11-7 in their opening fixture and then went on to defeat Tigers 12-7 and Netts 6-4 in a close battle.

“It was a struggle,” Raynor said of her team’s fierce contest with Netts. “We took very long centres, but our team worked it out and had the patience to try and get the ball to the shooter.”

Netts, who have six points, are second behind Lady Bluebirds (9pts) owing to a superior goal difference over third placed Panthers.

Netts recorded a 13-8 win over Blazin Bluebirds and thumped Bluebirds Too 16-0, to go with their defeat by Lady Bluebirds.

They will face Panthers and Tigers in their remaining fixtures with their title hopes hanging by a thread. Panthers beat the Tigers 16-7 and squeaked past Blazin Bluebirds 16-15, which proved the closest match of the day.

Panthers must win their remaining matches with Bluebirds Too and Netts and rely on others to take points from Lady Bluebirds if they are to dethrone the latter as champions.

Fourth placed Blazin Bluebirds were the only other team managing a victory, after handing Bluebirds Too a 10-6 defeat in their opening fixture. Winless Tigers and Bluebirds Too are fifth and sixth in the standings with a game in hand on the teams above them.