Jamal stars as Hawks start in style

HANDBALL:

TALENTED winger Jamal Braithwaite found his scoring form to inspire North-East Manchester Hawks to a win double on the opening weekend of the Northern Development League (open age) handball season.

The England under-19 squad player, who studies at Oldham Sixth Form College, was virtually unstoppable in the latter stages of the first game against Wirral at Liverpool’s Greenbank Sports Centre.

Level at 12-12 at the interval, Wirral looked to be heading for victory when they opened up a four-point lead with 10 minutes remaining, only for Hawks to surge to a 26-24 win.

Braithwaite was the go-to player for playmaker Stefan Whaley to feed and he also benefited from some brilliant fast-break passes from ’keeper Marc Howard as the right winger finished on 12 goals — 10 of them scored after the break.

Later in the day, Braithwaite matched his 12 goals in a 32-4 rout of Manchester Handball Club

Whaley scored 11 times in the two games while there were goals for both of Hawks’ debutants, Lewis Woods and Oliver Hoolichan.