An aggressive and excellently playing Drenth Group Hurry-Up made short work of Belgian Sporting Pelt 31-23 on Saturday evening in Zwartemeer.
Born Emmen resident Tommie Falke received the loudest applause before introducing the Sporting Pelt selection. The spectators had clearly not forgotten the former crowd favorite, who played for Hurry-Up for years. But it was immediately the nicest thing Falke experienced in the BeNe-League meeting. Because in the match with an unleashed Hurry-Up, he and his teammates were not involved.
Croatian goalkeeper Boris Tot defends his goal like a lion
Hurry-Up, which lost without a chance against Aalsmeer last week, was the superior party against Sporting Pelt from the start. Coach Sven Hemmes’ men covered aggressively and effectively from the start. And when balls did come through, there was Croatian goalkeeper Boris Tot defending his goal like a lion. It was despondent for the Sporting Pelt attackers. Tot, who wants to play for the Dutch team, neutralized about twenty stops and many break-outs from the Belgians.
Goncalo Gracio is the top scorer for the home club with eight goals
Hurry-Up quickly took the lead thanks to the young director Emiel Hoogland in the middle build-up position. The Portuguese Goncalo Gracio had his sights set. He became the top scorer for the home club with eight goals. The well-playing Zwartemeerders ran away to a 12-8 lead before halftime.
It was great how the Hurry-Up players were sharp in coverage and intercepted passes and then struck fatally in the break. Bernie Vermeer smelled, as it were, where the Belgians would throw the ball and dived between them a number of times. The Zwartemeers had no weak spots. Brent Riksten, Sjoerd Boonstra and the others: they were all doing well for the home team.
Patrick Miedema has to watch injured
And while coach Hemmes could not field all his players. Injured veteran and multiple international Patrick Miedema had to watch from the sidelines. The very strong Wouter Pronk only played briefly. The circle player was hit and spent the rest of the game in the stands with his arm in a kind of sling.
Sverre Jansen, who is returning from a serious knee injury, came on in the second for Hurry-Up and was immediately important with hard cannon shots. After the break, the Drenthe continued with what they were doing and continued to keep the initiative. They were not confused when Sporting Pelt, who reached the last four in the BeNe-League finals last season, came a little closer in the standings. Relying on excellent play and the goalkeeping work of Tot, the home team immediately scored a number of times.
Hurry-Up players celebrate the victory wildly
That led to a 23-17 lead ten minutes before the end and a great atmosphere in the stands. Hurry-Up could already smell the victory and did not relinquish the lead. Substitute Jorick Pol stopped Falke’s penalty in the final minute. The last goal was scored by Michael Wennink. The Hurry-Up players then celebrated their 31-23 victory by jumping around wildly.