Deserved victory in Melsungen

Towering Glandorf throws TBV to victory

TBV Lemgo won through against "bogey team" MT Melsungen 31:28 (16:14) and with the towering figure of Holger Glandorf took a step in the right direction, despite their injury woes.

TBV Lemgo won through against "bogey team" MT Melsungen 31:28 (16:14) and with the towering figure of Holger Glandorf took a step in the right direction, despite their injury woes. The hosts scored the first goal, in the first minute Dimitrios Tzimourto was on the mark and scored for Melsungen, who were able to keep the upper hand in their last two home games against TBV in the league. Holger Glandorf equalised, Martin Galla was then able to save a penalty by Nenad Vuckovic, but it was Vuckovic who then scored to take the lead.

As in recent games, TBV had their difficulties in attack again, but Lemgo, without Ilyés, Preiß, Bechtloff and Geirsson, were unable to finish them off. But TBV kept at it, in the 8th minute Vasilakis was successful from the penalty spot for the hosts, taking it to 3:4 to TBV, but then Vignir Svavarsson equalised immediately. Then the Icelander, who was covering the zone with Kubes, had to leave the field for two minutes. But TBV benefited from this themselves initially, going into the lead for the first time at 5:4 in the 10th minute through Michael Kraus. It was then end-to-end play, Melsungen scored first, TBV equalised through Michael Binder to take it to 6:6 (12th minute), then Vasilakis scored a penalty for MT. In the 15th minute, Franck Junillon took the hosts into a two-goal lead, TBV trainer Volker Mudrow took his time-out in the first half - 14:44 minutes had been played at that point.

At first, it did not look as though much would change, however. TBV were not strong enough in attack for long periods, so that after exactly 17 minutes of play, the score of 7:10 to Melsungen made perfect sense. This three-goal deficit seemed to be a wake-up call for TBV, however. Holger Glandorf, with his fourth and fifth goals, brought it back to 9:10 (19th), one minute later Tamas Mocsai took it to 10:11 with his first goal, followed by the unstoppable Holger Glandorf for 11:11. And in the 24th minute, Vignir Svavarsson took TBV into the lead again, his goal for a score of 13:12 was a pointer to what was to come. In the meantime, Carsten Lichtlein had come on for the unlucky Martin Galla between the posts and he showed himself to be in very pleasing form.

TBV still had their problems in attack, they just did not have the right touch, but then succeeded through Glandorf in taking it to 15:13 and the first two-goal lead of the match. MT coach Ryan Zinglersen then called his team over to him for 60 seconds, the stadium clock stopped at 26:11 minutes. Then TBV missed a few more chances, but Melsungen were not able to make the most of this, instead Michael Kraus was the man over, to take it to 16:13 (30th). The next goal by Alexandros Vasilakis was important psychologically, taking it to 14:16 for MT practically as the half time siren was sounding, which was a real blow.

After the interval, it soon went very quiet in the Rothenbach Stadium in Kassel. While MT were unable to score a single goal, Holger Glandorf scored goals eight and nine for a score of 18:14. Things were going TBV Lemgo's way and they continued to build on a good performance by Carsten Lichtlein in goal. Melsungen then brought it back to a two-goal difference, but TBV were always on the mark when it mattered, Michael Kraus was successful in the 39th minute taking it to 20:17, and the TBV international followed up with a penalty throw for 21:17. But then an inexplicable period of weak play followed once again for TBV, Melsungen gratefully accepted the opportunities and in the 43rd minute Vuckovic scored, taking it to 21:20. The Rothenbach Stadium in Kassel, which was anything but full, woke up - but Holger Glandorf, with his 10th field goal, was on the mark for 22:20. Klitgaard, Mocsai and then Glandorf again, at least TBV did not let the hosts draw level. But it was not really necessary, Lemgo should have held a considerably bigger lead than 24:21 (45th) in the middle of the second half. Melsungen scented an opportunity, but were not able to make the decisive move at first.

The hosts, who so far this season have not been able to live up to their own standards, fought hard, but a lot of it was disjointed, although it was still clear that TBV unfortunately could not use this decisively to take a clear lead and settle things down. A score of 26:24 (48th) was not a true reflection of TBV's potential. Carsten Lichtlein was the decisive factor in this phase in ensuring that Melsungen could not get closer than one goal and did not put too much strain on the nerves of TBV. Glandorf and Mocsai were responsible for another four-goal lead by the 52nd minute (28:24), but Sanikis and Aagaard promptly replied inside barely a minute for the hosts, to take it to 28:26. And then it happened: Sanikis reduced it to one goal, it seemed as if 28:27 might be the turning point in this hard-fought match.

Holger Glandorf scored with his 13th goal for the guests first of all, but then the teams were back in touch, and Florian Kehrmann had to leave the field for two minutes. And Melsungen actually had the chance to equalise, but the hosts' nerves failed them. And then TBV made the most of their luck, Kraus and Kehrmann scored for 31:28 and TBV played out the time for the win, which was deserved, but unnecessarily tense.