Men Power to 25-18 Handicap Cup Win Over Leander

The Hucknall men booked their progress in the Notts Handicap Cup with a commanding home win over Leander on Thursday night, running out 25-18 winners once the handicap was applied - and, more tellingly, winning the water comfortably 18-10 on actual goals.

The cup handicap had handed Leander the slightly bigger head start - +8 to Hucknall’s +7 - but against a home side in this kind of form it was never going to be enough.

The opening period was the only spell where Leander could live with their hosts, the two sides trading blows to finish level at 2-2. After that it was one-way traffic. Hucknall blew the game open in the second, rattling in six goals to two - Endy with a hat-trick in the period alone and Swainson chipping in - to lead 8-4 at the interval.

The second half was more of the same controlled, clinical stuff. The home side took the third 5-3 and the fourth 5-3, stretching the actual-goals margin to 18-10 by the final buzzer with the scoring shared right across the squad.

It was a tidy defensive shift that underpinned it all. Reuben Wall was in commanding form in goal, holding Leander to single figures in three of the four periods and never letting the visitors string together the kind of run that might have made the handicap interesting.

Swainson and Endy led the way with four apiece, with Ballaam and Dallow each chipping in three, and Stapleton and West adding two each - six different scorers and not a weak link in the side.

Mens head coach Tom Wall handed his man of the match award to Tom Ballaam for a thoroughly well-rounded performance, the all-action display backed up by the numbers: 3 goals, 1 block, 3 steals and 2 assists - a contribution felt at both ends of the pool.

Win the water, win the handicap - a complete team performance to close out a 25-18 Handicap Cup victory. Well played, lads, and many thanks to both referees.

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