Nott a bad effort from girls as they run their opponents close

HANDBALL

A DEPLETED Northern Alliance League programme saw just four games go ahead.

In the Premier Division Seaton Delaval regained the leadership, on goal difference, from Newcastle University - although they were made to work hard for the point they gained at home to lowly Northbank.

The hosts took a two-goal lead through Michael Baxter, who netted on 45 and 75 minutes.

However, with ten minutes remaining, the Cumbrians pulled a goal back through Ricky James before David Carruthers popped up to level from a corner in the last minute.

At the lower end of Division One there were seven goals in the game between Cullercoats and Gosforth Bohemians - six of those in a hectic first half.

Bohs led courtesy of a firstminute own-goal and, although Coats levelled on eight minutes through Conner Towes, it was a devastating first-half performance from the visitors.

James Cross restored the advantage on 24 minutes, which Daniel Ure added to ten minutes before the break.

Still not finished, Cross added his second and Bohs’ fourth of the game on 37 minutes and Karim Benfaied put the match out of sight three minutes before the interval with the fifth.

The second half was a quiet affair until five minutes from time when Towes added his and Coats’ second with what proved to be mere consolation, the visitors collecting all three points.

Bedlington remain third in Division Two after they dropped points at home to mid-table Blyth Town.

A win would have put them back into second place behind runaway leaders Blyth Spartans Reserves.

Jack Ditchburn gave the visitors the lead on 25 minutes, which Jack Fennell doubled shortly before the interval.

It was advantage they held until the final 15 minutes, Joe Moscrop notching a late double to snatch a point when they would have wanted all three.

In the only cup match to go ahead, Coundon and Leeholme reversed their Durham Minor Cup game with Wearside League outfit Stockton West End, only to crash out 5-3. TYNE and Wear’s under-16 girls put in two muchimproved performances in their third round of England Handball North Regional competition matches in Chester - running their opposition much closer than in previous outings.

The first league game against Nottingham saw the North East team take an early lead through centre Alexandra Inta’s double and one from half-player Ana Botezatu.

Fellow half player Zoe Barber fired a great shot into the top corner but Nottingham soon levelled things up again.

However, youngster Inta broke through to score her third and, with goalkeeper Bryony Coldwell making good saves at the other end, Botezatu added her second and Inta’s fourth to put Tyne and Wear 7-5 ahead at half-time.

Nottingham replied with three quick goals at the start of the second half but Inta and Botezatu soon put the North Easterners back in front.

The Midlanders edged back ahead as Tyne and Wear began to tire but kept pushing on.

Botezatu added a penalty and Barber stole the ball in her own half and dribbled up the court to shoot into the top corner - but despite Inta also scoring a late brace it was not enough as Nottingham ran out 20-13 winners.

The girls’ second league match was due to be against Olympia Cannock - but with them cancelling the girls played a friendly game against the experienced Peninsula side instead.

The sides went into the break level at 5-5. Botezatu’s hat-trick put Tyne and Wear ahead as the second-half began , but several penalties coupled with two-minute suspensions for Inta and Barber let Peninsula regain the advantage.

Both players came back on to score either side of Botezatu’s fifth - but her sixth from the penalty line was in van as Peninsula prevailed 14-12.