Handball News, May 11 2011 by Frazer Snowdon

Issue 169 May 11 2011

Ruislip Eagles Retake League Champions Title RUISLIP Eagles regained the National Women’s League title on Saturday when they beat title rivals Olympia 32-21 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre to give themselves an unassailable lead with one game to play. Olympia were still in with a chance of winning the title themselves if they could beat the Eagles, but after a heavy defeat at their hands earlier in the season, they did well to make a much better fight of it, particularly in the first half.

Control Ruislip were always in control thanks to another fine performance from their top scoring duo of Zsuzi Telek and Dani Sposi and a season-best showing from Judit Volgyi on the right wing. Despite being without key central defender Kirstin Pappenfuss, Ruislip’s defence was well marshalled by Milli Chebanova, who put in a series of great blocks and managed the threat of Olympia’s line player. Eagles’ Head Coach Mel Chowns said: “ It was not a pleasant feeling losing the league last year to worthy winners Great

Dane but I am delighted with how the team have responded this year, the team spirit they have shown and the application during training they have given. “When you consider that we have also been without several key players this season with long term injuries, I am really pleased for the team.” But the Eagles had little time for celebration as the following day they headed to Manchester to play Deva in the English Cup. Deva made a great start, catching Eagles cold with a series of fast breaks and racing into a six-goal lead before Ruislip had even got on the score board. Gradually Ruislip got into the game but Deva were well in contention thanks to great goalscoring from Popa Florentina and Dorota Basta who added

experience to the young team. With Dani Sposi marked out of the game, Ruislip had to rely on the strength of other players to get the goals and these duly came from Erika Rescka and Bee Bjarnadóttir. Ruislip recovered from their dreadful start to eventually go in at half time with a 20-17 lead.

Experience But Deva kept up the pressure in the second half, with coach Donna Hankinson adopting a very offensive defence, but the experience of Ruislip was too much and they gradually found space through Telek and Dreksler and ran out

comfortable 40-30 winners. Coach Mel Chowns was full of praise for Deva’s young squad: “It was not ideal having two key matches in one weekend but I am so impressed with the work Donna is doing with the young British players in Deva. “They showed fantastic speed and power for a young team and gave us a lot of problems. This is what we want to see happening in all clubs giving young British women the chance and I include Ruislip in that. “We must combine the skills of the European players living here with the development of young home grown talent. Hats off to Deva for driving this.”

Handball News is produced by Snowdon Sports Media Partners Ltd for the British Handball Association For more details please contact 0845 230 0803 or log on to BritishHandball.com or EnglandHandball.com

Issue 169 May 11 2011

Play-Offs Turn Into Two-Horse Race THE race for the English Men’s League title is a two-horse race heading into the final set of matches, after Ruislip Eagles beat former table-toppers Salford at Greenbank Sports Academy in Liverpool on Sunday. Ruislip won 31-24 over Salford to eight goals and Teyu Christin Nguelo ensure they are level on points with (pictured, right) scoring seven. Stuart leaders Great Dane. Latchford scored eight for Salford, but it was not enough. Great Dane eased past Manchester in their penultimate match of the playAnd they will have high hopes of offs, but it took a second half push to snatching the title on the final day of the seal the win having only led 10-13 at the season, with their final match being break. Philip scored nine times for the against bottom of the league London side. Fourth-placed Olympia maintained Nottingham University, while Great their hopes of climbing to third and Dane must play Salford. securing a spot in European The Eagles kept their hopes of the title alive with a hard-fought match against competition with a 23-18 victory over a Nottingham University side which eight for Nottingham, who battled the Salford. Ahead 7-13 at the break, they kept the battled hard. Aurelian Gug scored seven times for whole match with just seven players pressure up to win by seven, with Aliksander Tighzer top-scoring with Olympia, while Jon Mardaras netted available.

Final

IN a warm-up for their play-off clash next week, Great Dane and Salford do battle this Saturday in the semi final of the EHA Cup at Leyton SCORE Centre in London. The winners of the match, which begins at 4pm, will go through to the final on June 4 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. The other semi final sees Manchester play Ruislip at Greenbank Academy in Liverpool on Saturday (3pm start). Meanwhile, in the Women’s EHA Cup Olympia play Deva at Crystal Palace on Saturday (12noon start), while newlycrowned league champions Ruislip Eagles take on former champions Great Dane at Leyton (2pm start). And in the Men’s Plate competition, Cambridge play Oxford University at Moulton near Northampton at 12noon, following which Warwick University play Bristol at 2pm.

English Lge (play-offs) Great Dane Ruislip Eagles Salford Olympia Manchester Nottingham Univ

P 9 9 9 9 9 9

W 7 7 5 4 3 0

CRYSTAL Palace National Sports Centre has been confirmed as the venue for this year’s EHA Cup finals on June 4, and it looks set to be a mini festival of handball too! The action starts at 12noon with the final of the National Girls Cup, and will be followed at 1pm by the boys final between North East Manchester Hawks and Olympia Cannock.

D 0 0 0 1 1 0

L 2 2 4 4 5 9

F 266 254 242 221 183 169

A 206 207 229 202 217 274

Diff 60 47 13 19 -34 -105

Pts 14 14 10 9 7 0

The first of the senior matches is at 2pm, when the women’s EHA Cup final is staged, while the men’s EHA Cup final is at 4pm. And following the England Handball matches, the GB Women’s team will take on Finland in the qualifying

stages

the

European Championship.

2012

Issue 169 May 11 2011

Scottish Cup Line-up Confirmed after Thrilling Semi Finals TRYST will play Gracemount in the final of the Men’s Scottish Cup after two thrilling semi final clashes took place last weekend. Tryst kept the goal difference at around 7-8 goals and looked comfortable, but Glasgow fought on and reduced Tryst’s lead to 3-4 goals, mainly due to Danos Sagias with 17 goals. However, they didn’t have the energy to get closer against Tryst’s full team. Sagias was the game’s top-scorer, Strongly while for Tryst Mark McLaughlan scored nine and Gary McCafferty Tryst started very strongly and 7. opened up a 5-1 lead after just a The other semi final was a closer few minutes, and Glasgow’s affair, with Gracemount scraping number of players reduced even past East Kilbride 30-29. further when their centre player EK’s strength in attack surprised got a red card during the first half. their rivals, but it wasn’t enough To compound the problems, to make it to the final. Mick one of their court players as well Lavery and Jose Benavidez both as their goalkeeper picked up scored six for EK, while Christian injuries, but managed to stay on Wolf (9) and Vincent Martinez (7) were Glasgow’s best. court for the rest of the game. The top two teams in Scotland, Glasgow and Tryst, did battle in the first semi final which was supposed to be a close affair. But with Glasgow fielding just the bare seven players due to injuries and unavailabilities, Tryst ran out 40-32 winners.

European Action Coming to London GREAT Britain Women will take on Finland in the qualifying phase of the 2012 European Championships in London next month. GB will be hoping for a similar result to the last time they played Finland, where they beat them over two legs to qualify for the group stages of the 2010 competition. The exact dates and venues are yet to be finalized, but the two matches will be in London from June 3-5.

Originally planned to be a four-team tournament with Greece and Israel, the group has split with the winner of the GB v Finland matches going into Group Three with Russia, Montenegro and Poland. The finals of the competition will be held from December 2-16 2012 in the

Hawks Fly into Final NORTH East Manchester Hawks Under18 boys (pictured above) booked their place in the final of the National Cup with a 23-12 victory over rivals Deva last weekend. A solid defensive performance underpinned their semi-final victory. Goalkeeper Terry Ellis made some key early saves, including a penalty, and the Hawks were 10-6 ahead at half time. James Higgins and Sam Bedlow made several surging drives, while playmaker Stefan Whaley racked up the points consistently and wide players Jamal Braithwaite, Tyrell Coley and Pavel Winnick played their part in rotation. But coach Donna Hankinson reserved special praise for line player Matthew Barnes, playing at that position for the first time in the absence of injured Wesley Hunt. “We lost to Deva by a point in the league play-off semis in February and have been working very hard in training since with current GB men’s captain Ciaran Williams, who has been inspirational,” said Hankinson. “This result was reward for all that hard work and now it’s a job half done.” The Hawks can now look forward to an encounter with Cannock at Crystal Palace on June 4, who beat Warrington Wolves 26-18 in the other semi-final at Birchwood Sports Centre, Warrington.