Newcastle Vikings men’s handball team bounced straight back from last week’s defeat to beat Manchester 28-19 in their England Handball North Regional Development League clash on Sunday and extend their lead at the top of the table.
However, it proved to be a frustrating turnaround for the Vikings women as Manchester took the spoils 18-17 in a tight match at South Shields’ Temple Park Leisure Centre. The game started well for the home side as a brilliant early hat-trick from half player Gesa Junge, subsequently matched by fellow half Judyta Turulska, helped Newcastle build a 10-7 first-half advantage.
But with Manchester’s tight defence and some solid goalkeeping increasingly thwarting the Vikings recently prosperous attacking plays, together with three players picking up yellow cards plus a 2-minute suspension towards the end of the half, frustrations were starting to show. Manchester came out the stronger after the break and soon turned the scoreline in their favour as a seemingly nervy Newcastle side faltered in a repeat scenario of their opening match of the season.
The Vikings fought to claw things back, and despite all their outfield players getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season, including a late flourish from winger Marie-Louise Brevet to grab a brace of goals in the dying seconds, it proved too little too late as Manchester held on for the win with just a single goal separating the sides.
Newcastle’s men also went into their encounter looking to avenge points dropped in their early season away fixture. Dawid Miozga, Simon Heintz and player-coach Jason Lee got the ball rolling with early strikes, before centre Amaury Michelant bagged the first of his five first-half goals. Ably supported by strong defence and goalkeeping, the Vikings had built an unassailable 14-7 lead by half-time.
The second half continued in similar manner, with goals coming from throughout the squad in a great team performance, including a breakaway brace from substitute wingers Scott Garrow and Robert Thompson’s first of the season. Heintz and Michelant added further late scores to their individual tallies to wrap up a convincing victory that took the Vikings four points clear of the chasing pack, ahead of another home match against Liverpool this Saturday.
Newcastle Vikings women: Andrea King (GK), Marie-Louise Brevet (3 goals), Marlen Slinning (3), Josefine ‘Fienke’ Nanne (1), Gesa Junge (3), Blessing Ogbee (1), Judyta Turulska (4), Sandra Christke (2).
Newcastle Vikings men: Dan Walsh (GK), Peter Schichtel (3 goals), Amaury Michelant (7), Simon Heintz (5), Jason Lee (3), Scott Garrow (2), Robert Thompson (1), Dawid Miozga (4), Neil Bhandary, Jonathan Bastit, Stephan Stricker (1), Jack Woods, Matthew Lamb (1), Sam Turner (1), Chris Bowe.