Nules Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto B earn a narrow victory in Ibiza and finish the first half of the season in eleventh place

The outstanding end to 2016 continued for Nules Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto B with a hard-fought 34-36 victory, secured by Sergio Berrios's side in their first match of the new year on the always difficult Es Pratet court against HC Eivissa. The two points the Nules side took from the Balearic Islands moved them into eleventh place, level with Handbol Sant Joan – who are tenth – thanks to CH Alcàsser Walker's WP's defeat against Agustinos Alicante.

 The red-and-white side arrived with important absences; Sariò, Montoya and Íñigo Celorrio ultimately did not feature. Despite this obstacle, however, the La Plana Baixa group overcame the difficulties and made up for those absences with discipline. The first period was extremely even from the start until half-time. Indeed, neither side managed to pull clear of the other, and the home team went into the dressing room just one goal ahead of the visiting reserve side.

 The Ibiza side's approach, based mainly on an ultra-defensive 6-0 formation and the organisation of quick, direct counter-attacks, appeared to be bearing fruit at the end of an extremely competitive first half. However, after the break Sergio Berrios's men began the second half in overwhelming fashion and went five goals ahead of the Balearic side.

HC Eivissa were not prepared to settle for that, however, and fought to come back and turn the score around. For a good spell of the second half they moved back in front of the Nules side, although parity returned to the court once again, as the hosts were never able to establish a lead of more than two goals in a fine tug-of-war between the two sides.

Nevertheless, the match was not decided, and the key to the victory can be found in the change of system that allowed the Nules side to take the initiative for much of the second half and in the closing stages, when they turned the match around again thanks to the system devised by the visiting reserve team's coach. It was based on a 6-0 that consolidated their lead and alternated with a 3-3 for attacking plays.

This was where the visiting side were able to break the match open, also thanks to the excellent choice of time-outs, which brought fresh energy and greater impetus to the Nules Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto B players when they needed it. Cubero was the centre back who carried the full weight of the contest, while players such as Urbano, Piró and Ángel stepped up to rescue and guide the team at key moments.

Berrios, who since taking charge of the visiting reserve side has maintained the line of work established by his predecessor, said after the match that he was very happy with this new victory, although he also expressed his intention to work particularly on the defensive side, as that is where he believes his players are faltering and need to strengthen their abilities.

The Nules side's coach believes his team's attack is at a very good level, since scoring 36 goals in a match is very difficult, but he also thinks they must improve defensively, as conceding 34 goals in a match is dangerous.

After this victory, which concludes the first half of the season, the cycle returns to its beginning, and next week they face Viscoconfort CB Maristas Algemesí, the team against whom the La Plana Baixa side made their debut, with the match ending level on the scoreboard at the Municipal de Nules.

Match details

HC Eivissa: Blanco, Bonilla (3), Bradi, Carreño, López (13), Martín, Olea (2), Roldán (7), Rullán (2), Torres (7), Vicente, Alonso, Lacarra, Núñez and Segovia.  Nules Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto B: Chueca; Camacho, Cebrián (5), Cubero (7), Dorado (3), Ángel (9), Guille, Montoya, Palacios, Perales, Piró (7), Sariò, Urbano (3), Valderas (2) and Álvaro.  Score at five-minute intervals: 1-3; 6-7; 10-9; 11-11; 13-12; 15-14, half-time; 16-18; 19-23; 22-26; 26-28; 29-31; 34-36. Full-time.  Officials: José Antonio Huertas Herrador and Antonio Javier García del Salto (Andalusia Federation). They cautioned the home player Olea and the visiting player Valderas, as well as the red-and-white delegate, Álex Valero. For HC Eivissa, Blanco and Bonilla were excluded, while Valderas was excluded for Nules Fertiberia Puerto Sagunto B. Match corresponding to the fifteenth round of Group E of the Men's First State Handball Division, played at the Es Pratet Municipal Pavilion in Ibiza in front of around 200 people.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.