Hawks target Palace prizes

HANDBALL: HAWKS handball players take flight to London this weekend with a double-double in their sights.

North East Manchester Hawks completed their second season in the Under-18s National League this year and have already been crowned boys’ and girls’ league champions.

Now the two teams, under the guidance of experienced coach Donna Hankinson, head to the national sports centre at Crystal Palace to play in their respective cup finals.

The girls, surprise cup winners in their first season in 2011 when they beat the much-fancied Warrington Wolves outfit, take on Wirral as they look to complete their double.

And the boys - like the girls team, unbeaten all season - are out to erase the memory of a 2011 cup final defeat to complete their own double triumph. They take on Warrington.

“If someone had told us we would win a trophy in our first season together we would have said they were dreaming _ but we managed it,” said Donna.

“Since then we have worked very hard - we train twice a week - and all that effort has brought its rewards.”



JAMAL Braithwaite produced a brilliant shooting performance to fire 11 goals as the Hawks beat Liverpool Wolves 34-19 in their final open-age Development League North game of the season. It was one of the teamis performances of the season and the win inflicted a first defeat on the Wolves side.

Hawks could still be challenging for league honours, too, as the Wolves have been given a strict deadline to play a series of outstanding games in hand.

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