Kirstie Gordon credited the Trent Bridge crowd with helping Trent Rockets’ women to take their contest against Southern Brave to the wire, before the visitors prevailed in a low-scoring encounter.

Gordon top-scored for her side, with her 32 runs forming part of a rearguard action that elevated the Rockets from 55/8 to 106 from their 100 deliveries.

The early run-out of Danni Wyatt-Hodge, and Gordon’s dismissal of Laura Wolvaardt, gave Trent Rockets hope, before Alana King and Heather Graham kept the hosts in the game with impressive 20-ball spells.

But the Brave ultimately chased down their target with two balls, and six wickets, to spare.

“That was an emotional finish,” said Gordon.

“I feel like those games are the hardest, when you feel like you’re out of it, then you get back in it, but don’t get over the line.

“But the crowd are amazing here, they very much get behind their home team and we feel it when we’re out there.

“When Nat took that catch off Kempy (Freya Kemp, dismissed by Graham) on the boundary the place just erupted, and we felt like we were in it then.

“It wasn’t to be, but the crowd played their part in taking it close.”

With 106 runs to defend, the Rockets’ task with the ball was always an uphill one, but Gordon was impressed with her fellow bowlers’ fighting spirit.

“We fought really hard, and credit to the group for taking it that deep,” she said.

“Ash (Gardner, captain) rallied the troops and spoke about fighting hard and sticking with it, and the early run out gave us a bit of momentum.

“We tried to continue from there but fair play to Sophie (Devine) because she anchored that middle order really well to get them over the line.”

Trent Rockets’ women sit sixth in the table with four games remaining, and for Gordon, the task in the second half of the campaign is clear.

“It’s knockout cricket now, we can’t afford to lose again, so every game is on the line,” she said.