Croydon Korfball Club won their National League Premier Division match with North Downs on Sunday at Royal Russell School, with a 20-11 victory.

Korfball was devised over a century ago in the Netherlands, and is a non-contact sport played by teams of four men and four women, who try to score a ball through a basket standing on a post three and a half metres from the ground.

Half the team try to score the goals, while the other half are in defence. Every two goals, the teams change ends and roles, so attackers become defenders and vice-versa.

Croydon KC has been established for over 65 years and are the currentholders of the British Korfball Association Cup. Many of the current first team have played in Great Britain squads, but with four senior teams and several junior age groups, there is room for people of all ages and ability.

The opening ten minutes of Sunday's match was one-way traffic, as Croydon ran up an impressive 5-0 lead. But then came a torrid period for Croydon.

North Downs scored six of the next eight goals, taking the score to 7-6. Croydon's own attack largely stopped functioning, with too many loose shots put up, enabling North Downs to quickly break up the attack. Anna Jeanes, in her best performance of the season, extended the lead to two goals.

Croydon's half time team talk clearly had some effect, as they rattled off the first seven goals of the half. Victory was sealed in this period when Ian Taylor missed a penalty for North Downs. Both teams then traded goals and the game finished at 20-11.

For more information about Croydon KC contact Nick on 020 7538 8995.

February 27, 2002 13:30