News

Women's Premier Handball League: Olympia on verge of victory

Just one point from their remaining match will see Olympia crowned 2019 women’s Premier Handball League champions.

Unbeaten with one fixture left of the 14-game season, the London ladies only need to not forfeit the match to take the title back to East London. London GD are six points behind with two matches remaining, so theoretically could win on goal difference should Olympia forfeit their final game and GD win both their remaining fixtures.

With one hand on the title, Olympia will play University of Loughborough this weekend in the Midlands. The students are bottom of the table equal on points with Peninsula, so if they take more points than the Wirral team from this weekend then they will finish the season in seventh position in the league.

Throw-off in this crucial match to decide both the top and the bottom of the league is at 13.00 on Saturday in the Sir David Wallace Sports Centre on the university campus.

NEM Hawks and London GD still have a match to play that was postponed previously, so their league finishing positions are still up for grabs.

This weekend Hawks take on Reading Lionesses. The Mancunians are fourth in the table: two points behind Eagles and three points behind London GD, so if they can take the maximum points from this weekend’s match against Lionesses they may yet finish second in the league.

Lionesses suffered a heavy defeat to Olympia in the previous round of league matches but with a four-point buffer between them and the two teams beneath them in the league, they look set to retain their Premier Handball League status for next season. They can build on their impressive performances in the National Cup where they reached the semi-finals.

Throw-off between Hawks and Lionesses is at 15.30 at Oldham Leisure Centre on Sunday.

GD, in second position, will play Peninsula away. GD have lost only twice all season, and in their previous league outing defeated London Angels by 13 goals. Peninsula are level on points with Loughborough at the bottom of the table, albeit in seventh position by virtue of goal difference. They will be watching the result of the students’ fixture against Olympia which takes place on Saturday. In the previous round of league fixtures, Peninsula went down to West London Eagles.

Throw-off will be at 13.00 at Birchwood Leisure Centre on Sunday.

The fourth match of the weekend will be a London derby. London Angels will play West London Eagles, with the Eagles looking to secure second or third place in the league to add to their place in the National Cup final.

If Eagles take three points this weekend, they may be able to stave off the challenge of NEM Hawks who are in fourth but with an extra game to play. Eagles are one point behind GD in second, but as GD have an extra game in hand and a far superior goal difference Eagles will only climb to second if GD take fewer than two points from their remaining two matches. Angels track Hawks by just one point so can still challenge to rise in the final league finishing positions.

Throw-off in the London derby will be at 13.00 at Barking Sporthouse on Saturday.

Posted in Premier Handball League

Share on Facebook Tweet this event