Hand-y performers
VIKINGS FEELING JUST CHAMPION AFTER SECURING LEAGUE TITLE WITH A VICTORY
NEWCASTLE Vikings’ women’s handball team was crowned England Handball Regional League North champions after an 18-13 victory over Liverpool at Greenbank Sports Academy.
The Vikings went into their titledeciding final league game of the season knowing they were guaranteed a best-ver top-two finish after the University of Leeds forfeited the previous weekend’s rearranged fixture.
However, they would have to beat Liverpool for the first time in their four English Handball League seasons to snatch the title from the Merseysiders’ grasp.
Centre Maren Liane got Newcastle off to the perfect start with an early goal from the back court.
However, Liverpool took advantage of defensive line infringements to score three consecutive welltaken penalties courtesy of Malgorla Janus.
The Vikings soon pulled back to level through right-winger Marie Brevet’s powerful shot into the topcorner and Liane’s second from the line position.
The two teams continued to trade blows throughout the first half as left-half Ingvild Misund and Liane broke through the home defence and Emily Bjerk fired into the bottom corner from the right wing to keep the Vikings on a par.
However, with goalkeeper Andrea King pulling off two penalty saves, late goals from Maria Gonzalez pivoting on the line and right-half Alina Inta sent Newcastle into the break with a narrow 8-7 lead.
The second half started in a similar vein with Liane netting either side of Misund’s second. Head coach Marlen Slinning Goulty then got in on the act to beat the Liverpool goalkeeper herself, while King saved her third penalty at the other end as the Vikings’ defence held firm to thwart the home side’s attacks.
With added impetus, Newcastle gradually opened up their advantage through further Inta and Liane back-court strikes, Bjerk’s wing shot found its way under thegoal keeper and player-of-the-match Goulty broke through for her second.
Inta struck her third and season top-scorer Liane rounded off the scoring with her seventh of the match before the final whistle sent the Vikings into elation.
The triumph saw Newcastle Vikings jump to the top of the table and unexpectedly take their first league title with an unassailable 20-point lead over Liverpool and the University of Leeds.
The Tynesiders then went into battle in the promotion play-offs, narrowly losing out 16-14 to Loughborough University’s first team in a tight North-Midlands semi-final play-off match at Oldham Leisure Centre.