LDODK has its hands full with promoted DeetosSnel: 24‑21

DeetosSnel returned to the highest level after seven seasons and started on Sunday afternoon at 17:00 in Gorredijk. The bar set by coach Richard van Vloten: "But if we can finish eighth straight away, then it's a championship." On his approach: "I never talk about losing, but always about how we're going to win."

LDODK started with a different task. Last season the team let a comfortable lead slip in the play-offs against DVO, who then also beat Fortuna in the final. "Well, in principle it has to happen every year, only your objective maybe shifts a little", said coach Jan Niebeek, in his third season. There is someone new on the bench: "Well, we have brought in a specialist and he is mainly focused through the lens of this year's work plan."

LDODK was without Julian Frieswijk due to a calf injury. Marije Visser and Esmee van Veen are on their way back; the hope is that they will get playing minutes again from January. The 18-year-old Josse Scheenstra, who came through LDODK's own youth ranks, started for the first time in the Korfbal League.

Read more: DOS '46 win at DVO, Fortuna pull away from Unitas after half-time

At DeetosSnel, newcomer Jurgen Janse started in defence alongside Mees Oppe and the sisters Naomi and Quinty de Kroon, the captain. In attack, Jinthe Kraaijeveld, Willemijn Bouwens, Shane Buckland and Randy Oosting started.

DeetosSnel keeps pace

Marlou Kuiper earned a penalty with the first action of the match and made it 1‑0. Buckland, last season's best player in the Korfbal League 2, immediately shot 1‑1. Up to 4‑4, DeetosSnel drew level straight after every lead, including with a run-in from Quinty de Kroon.

LDODK then opened up a first gap. A free pass from Harjan Visscher made it 6‑4 and Kuiper shot 8‑5 in the 12th minute. DeetosSnel replied with three goals in a row: Bouwens made it 8‑6 and Janse levelled the score in the 15th minute with a long shot and a penalty, 8‑8.

Janse kept going on his Korfbal League debut and had five by half-time. On the other side, Visscher had three goals at half-time: two free passes and a penalty. He had not yet scored from distance.

From 11‑9, DeetosSnel again scored three goals in a row, the last from Quinty de Kroon: 11‑12 in the 24th minute. Scheenstra responded immediately with his first goal of the season, 12‑12. Just before half-time Jurjen Veenstra forced a penalty and converted it: 13‑12.

Three in a row after the break

The second half started badly for LDODK. Oosting, Janse and Naomi de Kroon made it 13‑15 in the first minutes after the break, in the 29th minute. It was Janse's sixth goal. Kuiper brought the home side back to 15‑15 with a long shot and a penalty.

The visitors went ahead again, with the first goal from Oppe, who also grabbed many rebounds, and a long shot from Naomi de Kroon: 15‑17. Tieme Eppinga came on for Scheenstra. Danique Klaren made it 16‑17, but Buckland put 16‑18 on the board with a free pass.

After that, DeetosSnel stalled. Sabine Verhoef and Eppinga both brought LDODK level from the spot, 18‑18 in the 35th minute. Kuiper shot the home side ahead again in the 39th minute. Substitute Stephanie van Geffen shot 19‑19 straight after coming on. At that moment the score was level for the eleventh time.

Missed chances at 20‑19

With exactly ten minutes to go, Ran Faber made it 20‑19 from the spot. After that it took a long time before another goal counted. Verhoef did score, but her goal was disallowed because someone touched the basket, and shortly afterwards she missed a penalty.

DeetosSnel had the chances for the equaliser in that phase. "At 20‑19 or so I think we had four, five attacks where we could have equalised", said Janse, who was defended by Visscher in the second half. "Yes, I do blame myself as well."

With just over three minutes on the clock, Niebeek called a time-out. Shortly afterwards it was 21‑19 and DeetosSnel did not draw level again. The final score was 24‑21.

Laboured, but two points

"Yes, it was very sluggish. In attack it didn't flow", said Kuiper afterwards. At half-time LDODK looked to the women: "Then we also said at half-time that the chances actually lie with the women, so with Danique and with me."

Rixt Bouma, who grabbed many rebounds, saw that it did not come easily. "Yes, that's right. Yes, they played really well", she said about DeetosSnel.

Janse came away with confidence. "Yes, we will still get points in the Korfbal League, just not tonight unfortunately."

LDODK plays away at KZ on Friday 13 November at 20:30 and hosts PKC on 21 November. DeetosSnel hosts TOP on Saturday 14 November. LDODK's goal does not change, said Kuiper: "Top 4, just play-offs again."