TBV Blows Chance at Big Point
Unlucky in home loss to Flensburg
The TBV Lemgo blew a six-goal lead on Christmas eve and wound up losing to the SG Flensburg-Handewitt, 24-23.
A sold-out stadium watched as the TBV Lemgo started the game with Martin Galia in goal, Michael Kraus in midfield, Martin Strobel and Logi Geirsson on the left side, Rolf Hermann and Mark Schmetz on the right and Vignir Svavarsson at the circle. Right from the first attack, the Icelander got to experience the strength of the Flensburg defense. He sustained a cut on his right eye and had to leave the game for treatment. It was Rolf Hermann who finally made it 1-0 with a throw-off. The guests from Flensburg immediately retaliated as Michael Knudsen tied the score from the circle. Mimi Kraus made it 2-1, the SG in the person of Thomas Mogensen raised the ante but thanks to a 7-meter which Lars Christiansen converted, the TBV took a 3-2 lead. After a string of strong saves by Martin Galia who was playing at a world-class level in the first half, the TBV was able to recapture the lead and open a gap of 6-4 as a result of goals by Hermann and Schmetz. After some overanxious throws by the Lemgoer side, the SG succeeded in getting back in the game through two more 7-meter throws that were converted by Christiansen. After six scoreless minutes at 7-7, it was Mark Schmetz who finally gave the TBV an 8-7 lead from the 7-meter line.
Holger Glandorf, who entered the game in the 21st minute as a substitute for Hermann, scored the first time he got his hand on the ball, making it 10-9. When it was 11-10, Daniel Kubes had to leave the floor for 2 minutes. For the resulting 7-meter throw, Carsten Lichtlein came onto the floor and immediately held against Christiansen who had, up to this point, already converted three penalty shots. Alas, it was Glandorf who forged a three-goal lead, 13-10 all by himself during the next several minutes. The TBV built its lead by halftime to four goals. The score stood 15-11 by the time the teams retired to their dressing rooms.
The first goal after intermission was scored by the SG as Mogensen who made it 15-12. Hansen cut the lead further with a remarkable turn-around shot to make it 15-13 (33rd minute) as the TBV as unable to mount the same kind of attach with which they had ended the first half. Michael Kraus got the first TBV goal of the second half with a brilliant throw but the SG was back in the game. Galia was strong as an ox in goal which seemed to wake up the last of the 4,861 spectators. And when Glendorf's goal made it 19-14, the Lipperland Arena was at full boil.
In the 39th minute, Heinl earned the next suspension when Methe/Methe caught him pulling on Glandorf's shirt. Kraus raised the score to 20-15 against the unluckily responding Beutler (40.). Coach Per Carlén reacted and replaced him between the pipes with the young Sjöstrand. But the Swede was powerless against the next goal by Kraus, the TBV pulled away to 21-15 and the handwriting seemed to be on the wall. But it was not to be, the SG was not going to go down to defeat that easily. In the 43rd minute, the score stood 21-17 and Pettersons' counter got the SB to 21-18 (44.). During this phase of the game, the hosts' attack seemed, all of a sudden, to be jinxed. The SG was grateful for that and closed the gap to 21-19, thanks to Carlén's goal in the 45th minute. Now Methe/Methe appeared to have an in for Vignir Svavarsson and blew the whistle on the Icelander for an alleged "Kreisab" foul. Bechtloff and shortly thereafter Kubes tried via counterattack to score the next goal but first the goalpost and then Sjöstrand stood in their way. When Eggert brought the SB to 21-20 with a 7-meter shot, the game was once again anybody's to win. After an unpunished foul on Strobel and a 7-meter gift for the SG, the first boos could be heard. Pettersson then equalized at 21-21 (51.). Volker Mudrow took his time-out at the 50:37 mark.
After technical errors on both sides, Morgensen counterattacked but Galia was up to the challenge. By the 55th minute, the TBV had been without a goal for 15 minutes. When Boesen scored for the SG to make it 22-21, the TBV seemed to be completely out of the game. By the time Hansen made it 23-21, the game had completely turned around. It was Kraus who finally scored again to make it 23-22. Once again, Kraus took charge and fired the ball against the post in the 58th minute as the score remained 24-22. But Carlén also fired wide and Glandorf, who had for some minutes been playing on the right outside position next to Hermann, brought the TBV back to 24-23 (58.). Kubes had to leave the floor with 90 seconds remaining but Galia made an outstanding save against Pettersson's shot from the outside. The TBV still had a good 50 seconds left. Then Methe/Methe developed into the game's bogeymen when an attacking foul called against Glandorf could be interpreted as just plain cheekiness. The SG played away the final seconds and the impossible rally from the 21-15 deficit became a reality.
Per Carlen:At 21-15, we entered a critical phase of the game. We changed goalies and revised our coverage system. That was the key to victory. Today's game was fighting handball, certainly not an attractive game with many technical errors but very strong goalkeeping. Martin Galia was very effective. We dominated the last 10 minutes, showed enormous team spirit, and won - perhaps luckily but perhaps also, deservedly.
Volker Mudrow:Despite the loss, I have to say it was a good game. We were on the right track. Up until the 41st minute, we played very well. After that, we missed four, maybe five clear chances that could have decided the game in our favour. We gave away fast breaks and missed from the circle; that was the difference. I wasn't happy either with the referees during the final 10 minutes. In the end, we were made to look foolish. But no question, we had it within our power to close out the game. I don't want to blame others for our defeat.