EHA Cup Finals Show Big Skills Improvements

THE EHA Youth Cup finals staged at Crystal Palace earlier this month were some of the best seen for many years, and highlighted the growth of handball in schools up and down the country.

The standard of handball is increasing across the board, but few teams have achieved success more than North East Manchester Hawks.

Their girls team were crowned National Cup winners after beating league champions Warrington Wolves 11-8, while their boys team made it to the final, losing out to Olympia Cannock 24-20.

Hawks' key to success was in defence where their physical effort knocked the Wolves’ shooters out of their stride. At the other end Nicola Quick netted two early goals, but it was the power

of captain Ellie Whitehead and line player Ruth Anderson that proved decisive.

Warrington's hopes took a big blow when England under-19s player Sophie Unsworth had to be carried off with an ankle injury.

And as the game entered its final stages the Hawks kept up a tempo that the Wolves couldn't contend with.

The boys final was also a physical affair, and a series of two-minute sin-bins that twice saw Hawks reduced to four outfield players gave Cannock a 13-11 lead.

Hawks had goalkeeper Terry Ellis to thank for saving a penalty on the whistle to limit the arrears, but they rallied after the break and twice levelled.

However, they could never get their noses in front and a series of missed one-on-one chances proved their downfall.