WORCESTER Reds secured a second successive season in England Netball Mizuno Premier League One for the first time after a dramatic final day of the campaign.

The city's top amateur side beat Turnford 53-52 in Ware, Hertfordshire, with the five points securing seventh place in the table for them to stay up and send their hosts down.

Any of the bottom six were in danger of facing the play-offs or relegation to Premier Division Two ahead of round 18 following a long season stretching back to September.

Reds' fixture at Wodson Park Sports Centre was the final match of the day to finish and Leeds Athletic' 70-59 win over leaders Oldham had pulled them out of the drop zone.

Coach Steve McLeod's pre-match talk sent Reds on court with the belief to play hard from the first whistle.

Their goal keeper Dani Perry-Huggins was a match for top Turnford goal shooter and England under 21s international Georgie Fisher.

She created turn-over ball and pressured her tall opponent supported by goal defence Chloe Burrows limiting the passing options for the home side.

The first quarter saw Reds take a one-goal lead which set the tone for the match.

Pressure on Reds shooters Lucy Herdman and Phillipa Yarranton by England's Rebekah Airey saw them miss early opportunities but they adapted and slotted the goals.

Dynamic play from centre Laura Gale and player of the match Erin Allport fed the duo with relentless drives to the circle edge as Worcester maintained their one-goal advantage at half-time.

Turnford started the third quarter strongly, turning over ball and going three goals ahead.

A strong contact on Yarranton saw her crumple to the floor with a knee injury.

But Hayley Rudd stepped into goal attack and put two long shots up to keep Reds in the game.

In the last quarter Hannah Leighton moved to centre from wing defence, using her speed and athleticism to drive the ball to the circle edge.

Hannah Brewer, back from an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury, returned for Reds at wing defence.

Brewer defended well against another England player Hannah Joseph, blocking her route to the circle edge and limiting options to pass to the circle.

As Turnford desperately looked to level in the dying minutes Reds retained possession for the final 40 seconds and sent their opponents crashing down as the team at the bottom of the table.

Following the long trip the amateur Worcester players resumed their day jobs this week.

A club spokesman said: "We would like to thank all those people who support us in time and sponsorship and make it possible to play and travel in performance-level netball."

Reds' squad this season has also included Rachel Sweet, Chloe Burrows, Becky Sweet, Ellie Moore, Ellie Trow, Lucy Herman, Cherrelle Jones, Sarah Holden, Lucy Chapman, Cathy Bedney and Amy Dowler.