Top Battles as English League Resumes

THE English National League resumes this weekend with some mouth-watering clashes due to take place in both the North and South.

At Leyton Score Centre in London on Sunday, London GD will play Oxford University and could go top of the Southern Section if they win, with current table-toppers Ruislip Eagles not in action this weekend.

And following that match at 12noon, Cambridge and Olympia will do battle at 2pm with Cambridge eager to take victory and climb off the bottom of the table.

And the final match of the day at Leyton sees Thames and London GD do battle in the Women’s First Division at 4pm.

The Northern Section resumes on Sunday with a four-match marathon at the Greenbank Sports Academy in Liverpool.

Table-topping Salford take on third-placed Liverpool Wolves in the opening match at 9.30am, and that will be followed by a clash at 11.30am between second-placed Manchester and Nottingham University.

Chester-based Deva play Liverpool Speke Garston next, and the final match pits Leeds Hornets against the University of Manchester.

Season Heading for Thrilling Finale

Yet again the top level of English Handball looks set to produce a thrilling climax to the season - starting with this Sunday. Richard Browne reports.

The final round of the English Men’s National League play-offs take place at Leyton SCORE Centre in London from 12-6, and while four teams are battling for the three European places some clubs will be hoping for an upturn in their fortunes after last week’s Cup semi finals.

Despite five goals from GB men’s captain Ciaran Williams, Salford were unable to overcome league leaders Great Dane, who triumphed 22-20 in a thrilling game.

Current cup holders Ruislip Eagles won away at Manchester 25-19 in the other semi to set up an all London final. That match will see one of the sides battling to do the double, with Ruislip and Great Dane also battling against each other fiercely at the top of the league.

The two sides go into the final league games of the season neck and neck. Although Great Dane currently hold a goal difference advantage of 13, Ruislip can anticipate a big points tally in the day’s midday start against Nottingham University, who they thrashed 42-17 in April.

With Salford looking to avenge their cup defeat, the result of their fixture against Great Dane in the day’s 4pm kick off will probably decide not only the title but also the European placings.

With only the top three going into the European Cup, a win for Olympia in their 2pm game with Manchester would pile the pressure onto Salford to prevent it being an all-London top three.

With the European places, the title, and local pride all at stake, this coming Sunday at Leyton promises to be an event not to be missed.

Southern Clubs: Prepare for Action!

SOME of the best young handball teams in the South of England will be battling it out in the Southern Area Heats of the England Handball Under-13s Competition at Leyton SCORE Centre in London next month.

The event on May 17 is from 3-5pm, and the deadline for entries is May 13.

Go to www.EnglandHandball.com for an entry for and details of how to apply.

Schools Battle for National Honours

YOUTH handball teams from across the South battled it out for a place in the next round of the National Under-15s Schools Handball Championships at Leyton SCORE Centre in London recently.

The southern heats of the tournament attracted dozens of teams from across London and beyond, and resulted in four boys teams and three girls teams making it through to the second round of the event, which will be staged on Wednesday, May 11.

Woodside High School from Haringey was among the successful boys teams, as well as Aylesbury Grammar School, Carshalton Boys Sports College in Surrey and The Coopers Company and Coborn School in Essex.

And the three successful girls teams who go forward in the competition are Tower Hamlets, Helenswood and Barking Abbey.

“Handball continues to prove very popular,” said London Handball Development Officer Ari Bekker. “We had a great turnout of teams - more than ever before - and the matches were great to watch.

“The skills on show are improving all the time, as handball continues to be introduced to schools across the region, just as it is across the country.”

Photo: Eric Dol / Tower Hamlets School Sports Partnership.

Thames Overcome League Champions

EVER-improving Thames Ladies secured a nail-biting 19-18 victory over reigning English League champions Great Dane at Leyton SCORE Centre in London on Sunday.

With the scores level at 18-18 and two minutes remaining, Thames’s Nikoletta Papp scored from the back court over Great Dane’s defence to secure the win.

Thames were ahead 14-11 at half time after controlling the game well.

But coming out after the half-time break more determined, Great Dane rallied round to bring the score to level, at which it remained until the final two minutes.

Fiorella Franzini of Great Dane was declared player of the match, and she also was top scorer for her team with eight goals. For Thames, Live Kolstad Kvalsvik was top scorer with six.

In other women’s league action, Ruislip overwhelmed Cambridge 31-13.

Photo: Nick Kourdoulos

Great Dane Claim London Cup Honours

ENGLISH League champions Great Dane lifted the men’s London Cup last weekend, but did it the hard way.

Ruislip Eagles beat the champions 13-14 in their opening match, but Great Dane weren’t about to make the same mistake twice and then went on to win the tournament.

A highly-contested clash followed between Thames and Olympia in the second game of the afternoon and only in the dying seconds of the game Olympia went ahead 11-10.

Thames however showed their good run of form by beating Ruislip Eagles (15-14) whereas Great Dane returned to winning ways by striking arch rival Olympia (13-12).

Olympia finished second of the tournament by beating narrowly Ruislip Eagles (13-11) whereas Great Dane finished in style against Thames (17-7) to finally win the Cup offered by the tournament partner, Kits-Direct.co.uk.

In the women’s event, which is spread over two weekends, a full Great Dane women team took on Thames squad with just seven players available.

Defying the odds, Thames battled hard and proved a strong challenger leading at half time 10-9. The second half was as entertaining with both teams really close. The game had unfortunately to be stopped five minutes before the final whistle due to the injury of a Thames player who is recovering well. Great Dane was winning 23-21.

The Women’s London Cup resumes on Sunday, October 3, with Ruislip Eagles, Olympia and Thames competing at Leyton SCORE Centre from 12pm.