Under-strength Ealing suffer quarter-final defeat

Ealing Handball Club lost 25-18 to Warrington Wolves in the National Under-18 League quarter-finals.

It proved to be a difficult trip up north for the Ealing team, who were already missing several players and then lost two more on the morning of the game, including their only available goalkeeper who was ill overnight.

This meant Ealing started with nine and the court players had to rotate in goal.

Warrington’s trio of England Under-20 players at the back caused a lot of problems early on for the Ealing defence, while in attack the visitors were unlucky to see six shots come off the goalposts.

As the pressure told on a short-handed team, Ealing slipped to a 12-4 deficit midway through the first half and were 18-6 down at half-time.

They did not let their heads drop and, showing incredible team spirit and renewed energy, Ealing quickly inflicted an 8-2 reverse on Warrington – but it was too big a gap to make up.

Ealing head coach Paul Bray said: “It was always going to be an uphill struggle with only nine players and no goalkeeper, but we are extremely proud of the way the team reacted in the second half to fight-back and take the game to Warrington.

“They left everything on court and finished exhausted, but we can draw many positives from this game.”

The team will now go into the Championship play-offs on 20 March to decide places five to eight.

Ealing: Matt Lacour (4 goals), Oliver Bray (4), Diogo Simoes (5), Saimonas Urbutis, Manvir Aulakh, Noah Bridges (3), Matt Ellis, Dan Rogers (2), Seb Kowalewski.