The strongly rejuvenated Drenth Groep Hurry-Up is an opponent to be reckoned with. The handball players played a 30-30 draw against reigning national champion Achilles Bocholt in Zwartemeer on Saturday.
In the end, the Belgian Limburgers were the most happy with that. Shortly before the end, Bocholt was still behind 30-28 in the first game of the new season in the cross-border BeNe-League. Illyas d’ Hanis brought the visitors back to within one point by a penalty throw.
Then the inexperienced Hurry-Up failed to finish the game with another goal and lost the ball on the left. D’ Hanis was accurate from the right corner, after which the game was quickly called off 30-30. Few would have thought in advance that the Drenths would perform so well against top team Bocholt. After all, Hurry-Up is a young team under construction, which saw the necessary experienced employees leave due to the limited financial resources.
Sven Hemmes and his men are well on their way
The new coach Sven Hemmes, who succeeded Joop Fiege in Zwartemeer after four years, has the task of forging a dangerous unity again from the young guests and the players who have remained with more routine. In view of the game played on Saturday evening, the native Amsterdammer, who defended the Hurry-Up goal for several years in the past, seems to be well on his way.
That didn’t seem to be the case in the first half. Bocholt was able to storm and shoot through the faltering cover of Hurry-Up several times. The Zwartemeerders barely struggled against and fell behind 9-16. A big defeat for the home team was in the offing, but nothing could be further from the truth. Partly due to the excellent keeper Boris Tot and an increasingly better functioning cover, Hurry-Up started to reduce the deficit.
Drenthe youngsters have no hesitation whatsoever
At halftime it was only 12-16 in Belgium’s favor. Under the leadership of multiple international Patrick Miedema, Hurry-Up opponent Bocholt now put the heat to the test. The youngsters from Drenthe turned out to have no hesitation whatsoever in making their actions. Youth international Emiel Hoogland, who gained the necessary experience last season in the combination team E & O/Hurry-Up in the premier league, even grew into the absolute star.
Emiel Hoogland grows into a star
He was elusive on several occasions for the Bocholt defense, sprinkled with smart passes as a center builder and scored five times. It all led to a second half, in which Hurry-Up took over the initiative and even led by three goals. It was all just not enough to win the home win, but it was very close. Next weekend, with Aalsmeer away, another strong opponent awaits the well-started Zwartemeerders.