Sunshine Girls celebrate after beating England. - Ricardo Makyn photos

GLASGOW, Scotland:

It was war, but when the dust settled on an intense, physical third place play-off inside the SSE Hydro, even the pro-England crowd had to applaud Jamaica's Sunshine Girls, as they came out 52-48 winners, a glistening Commonwealth Games bronze medal their reward.

The result means that Jamaica closes its Glasgow 2014 account with 22 medals (10 gold, 4 silver, 8 bronze) tied with Melbourne 2006 as its best Commonwealth Games medal haul

It was also Jamaica's second netball medal at the Commonwealth Games, after winning the same colour in 2002 at Manchester, England.

Australia beat New Zealand 58-40 in the gold medal match, which followed at the same venue.

Yesterday's latest face-off was just as electrifying; with both teams going at each other from the opening pass to the very last whistle. With constant lead changes, goal-for-goal shoot-outs and a ton of contact, the teams went into each break England 13-11 Jamaica; 24-25; 37-37; before the Jamaicans forced an English turnover with three minutes to go in the fourth quarter and drove the final nail in their old foes' coffin, with two more interceptions and effective shooting at the other end.

ALL OR NOTHING

Sunshine Girls physiotherapist Maureen Spence-Campbell (right) hugs goalshooter Romelda Aiken, after the team claimed a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games following a win over England.

"We are so elated, these girls went out there and decided it was all or nothing today and that's what we did on court," said coach Minneth Reynolds, struggling to catch her breath.

"It was either a bronze or nothing, we had a long talk last night (Saturday), we had another this morning (yesterday) and it was underlined that there were no more chances, we had to go for it and they did just that."

"It means that we are on our way up. It means no one can say fourth again, we are on the podium. This is what we came here for and we are on the podium," added Reynolds.

Jamaica limited England to 11 goals in the fourth quarter and forced them to turnover the balls six times, but in Romelda Aiken the Sunshine Girls possess a truly worldclass player - at both ends, and with the goal shooter bib on her kit yesterday, the lanky ANZ star lifted the team with her tenacity and fighting spirit up top.

Sunshine Girls celebrate after beating England. - Ricardo Makyn photos