Salford (Ladies) v Ruislip (Ladies) 19 December 1983

This post is a short report from a match played 30 years ago between the Salford Ladies Handball Team and the Ruislip Ladies Handball Team who were known at the time by the sponsor name of Robert Jenkins Systems Handball. The report is from a London Association newsletter hence the lack of mention of the Salford players.

The game was a National League fixture which threw off at 4.30pm. The teams were lead out by Salford Majorettes and Ruislips' starting seven were

Sue Roberts (GK)
Dawn Bellis
Donna Anderson
Kim Walker
Janet Nichols
Christine Fitzgerald
Melanie Chowns

Fitzgerald opened the scoring for Ruislip and the first half found them exploiting a weak Salford defence but not being able to turn the superiority into the advantage that it should have been. When half-time came Ruislip were leading by six goals to three. The spectators were entertained at half-time by the Salford Majorettes who were a group of mainly 9 to 10 year olds. The second half continued much the same as the first with Ruislip continuing to dominate while playing in a relaxed manor throughout. While the team as a whole played sufficiently well, special mention goes to Sue Roberts in goal who save four penalties. The game ended in a 12-6 victory to the Londoners.

Ruislip Eagles

Graphite (Ruislip) Eagles Club badge from the 70s

The club website states the following: 

Ruislip Eagles Handball Club was formed in 1970 when they were based in the old South Ruislip Leisure centre. The Club have previously been known as Graphite Eagles (when sponsored by Graphite Equipment Ltd) and Robert Jenkins (Graphite were acquired by Robert Jenkins Systems and the name changed as a result of this).

The men’s and women’s teams were started and coached by Bill Holderness, a GB goalkeeper. The teams were largely made up of British players but gradually more and more overseas players joined the club and brought new skills and experience.

The club enjoyed a successful spell through the 1980s when many of their players were picked for the national team and the women won the league on several occasions alongside fierce rivals Wakefield.

The men also were involved with great competition with Brentwood and Liverpool but it was the women’s team who enjoyed the greater success. In 1982 the women became the 1st British team to win a match in a European Cup, beating the Belgian champions over two legs.

Both men’s and women’s teams have an international flavour with many nationalities playing in both teams.