Saracens Mavericks were brought back to earth with a big bump after losing heavily to Manchester Thunder.

Just 24 hours earlier they had ended Team Bath's unbeaten start to the season with a 39-38 win but they struggled to find the energy needed against the reigning champions as they slumped to a 59-37 loss.

The final score owed a lot to a fourth quarter capitulation as a 12-point deficit at the end of the third period finished almost double that.

The result means the Mavs have now dropped out of the crucial top four play-off places and the Hatfield-based club's director of netball, Kat Ratnapala, was adamant there was nobody to blame but themselves.

Speaking to Sky Sports she said: "Thunder were exceptional. Their centre-pass was slick and smooth and we couldn’t get our hands on the ball.

"It was different opposition to yesterday but we needed to step up again and we didn’t do that.

"You can look at everything and pick at everything but at the end of the day we weren’t good enough.

"The score reflects that.

"I’m not here to make excuses. Thunder had an equally as tough game against Lightning.

"We needed to deliver more and we can’t make that many errors and expect to come away as victor, especially against a top side like Thunder."

Saracens have another double-header next week as the season reaches the midway point.

First up is a game against Severn Stars on Sunday before they take on fourth-placed Wasps on Monday.