Newcastle Vikings Handball Club’s men’s team claimed their biggest win of the season last Saturday with a morale-boosting 31-19 away victory over Leeds University in their England Handball North Regional Development League encounter at the Leeds Futsal Arena.
Half-player Johannes Bellm got the Vikings going with an early brace, soon followed by a Peter Schichtel hat-trick and double from winger Wiktor Laczny. Further goals were quickly added by half Athbi Almarzouq, line-player Craig Swanson, winger Gracjan Joppek and centre David Topacho, before Bellm claimed his third in what was a dominant first-half attacking display backed up by solid defending. Winger Matthew Lamb, a Stephan Stricker double strike from the back-court and centre Schichtel’s fourth extended Newcastle’s lead to 16-7 by half-time.
The second half however turned into a more evenly balanced affair, but the Vikings kept fighting on. Swanson lobbed the keeper for his second before Topacho, Almarzouq, Laczny, Bellm, Schichtel and Stricker all added to their goals tallies. Holger Schulz from the line position and player-coach Jonathan Bastit each struck twice to round off an emphatic 31-19 victory.
Newcastle Vikings: Daniel Walsh (GK), Peter Schichtel (5 goals), Athbi Almarzouq (4), Craig Swanson (2), Matthew Lamb (1), Wiktor Laczny (3), Adam Mobberley, Gracjan Joppek (1), Jonathan Bastit (2), David Topacho (2), Stephan Stricker (4), Holger Schultz (2), Johannes Bellm (5)