Tivoli Gardens' Cleopatra Grant (right) tips the ball away from England's Lindsay Keable during their netball match at the G.C. Foster College yesterday. Tivoli won 57-51. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

England's Under-21 netballers were beaten 57-51 by Tivoli Gardens in their warm-up match at the G.C. Foster College in St Catherine yesterday.

The game, which was played over five quarters at the request of the England team, proved to be an exciting encounter as both teams entered the half-time period with the scores locked at 22-22.

However, the English youngsters outscored the Tivoli Gardens team 13-10 for a 35-32 lead at the third period. England's goal shooter Jo Harten then scored eight of her team-high 24 goals in the fourth quarter, which led her side to maintaining their three-goal advantage at 45-42 at the end of the period.

The Sylvester Campbell-coached Tivoli team, led by their prolific goal shooter Cleopatra Grant, who scored six of her game-high 51 in the final quarter of the match, took control of the game with their tight defence, and in the process they outscored their opponents 12-9, as they eased home to a comfortable win.

Grant received support from Nicole Peart, who scored five goals from eight tries. Rose Allison, 16 goals from 20 attempts, and Monique Wood, 10 goals from 17 tries, were the other scorers for England.

Anna Mayes, coach of the England team, said: "I think that we played in patches because we weren't consistent over the five quarters in which we played.

"I think that there were a few passing errors and mistiming and there wasn't a good understanding between the passer and the receiver," she said.