N1 elite – J4 | Annecy falls to Pau, leader of PSG alone
For this D4, Pau continued its good momentum by stopping Annecy (29-27). PSG took the opportunity to establish their grip on the championship against Frontignan (37-31). In the other matches, Gonfreville came out of it narrowly in Poitiers (31-32) and Cournon won his first victory in Saintes (27-32).
After a weekend of rest, the 12 elite National 1 formations were on the bridge this weekend. And like every day, the meetings had their share of surprises and twists, especially at the top of the table.
Frontignan, traveling to Paris, knew what to expect. And if the Héraultais are ambitious, no team can go and play the young shoots of the PSG completely calm, as they have mastered their subject at the start of the season. Renaud Boulanger’s men take the match from the right end, and achieve a completely perfect end of the first half, with the red card of Parisian goalkeeper Loïc Spady as a bonus (14-20, 30 ′). But nothing is decided in advance, and the locals, under the impetus of the young international Wallem Konrad Pelleka (8 goals), will quickly return to the match (22-22, 39 ′). Thomas loppy (6/7) increase the gap for his own, but it is in the money time that the men of Thierry Perreux will cut short the debates, finish the match far ahead (37-31, 60 ′). The score is rough for Auxence Desbos’ partners (6 goals), after an impeccable first period. On the Parisian side, PSG is now the only undefeated team in the pool, benefiting from the fall of Annecy on the side of Pau. An Annecean team that they will also face on their land next weekend.
Pau Nousty still intractable at home
At the fortress of Pau Nousty, the CSAV ofAnnecy came to break his teeth. Co-leaders before the meeting, the Haut-Savoyards come with ambition, but humility in Béarn, and the opposition does not disappoint, with a close meeting. But despite the return of Simon mayoyo, and the 10 goals of a Tom vinatier invaluable always, it is the locals who will lock a short advantage in the middle of the second act (23-20, 47 ′). On the wire until the end, the Pau must wait for a sixth but Baptiste Bergerou in the last moments for29-27, 60 ′). Note also on the local side the new fine performances of Alexandre Thiel and Maxime Lamude (6 and 7 goals), which will still be important for their team during the upcoming trip to Mulhouse.
Bordeaux is positioned among the pursuers
The defeat of Annecy is not only Parisian affairs. In Bordeaux, after an inaugural defeat, Philippe Gardent’s men did not miss anything, and completed the podium with 10 points. Because indeed, facing the Elite Val d’Oise, Xavier Moreau (10/18) and his mates were once again subjected to a crass confrontation but came out on top. Hanging on to the break, the Aquitains will manage to give themselves some air in the money time but never indulge in the shelter (22-26, 53 ′; 26-27, 57 ′). And despite further good performance from Chris NKuingoua (17 saves) and Simon Lavialle (6 goals), the EVO tilts and still runs after its first success (27-30, 60 ′). The next challenge for Safwan Khoudar’s men will be in Normandy, with a trip to Gonfreville.
The players of Gonfreville come out of a victory on the wire against Poitiers. After a very offensive first act, the Normans were able to build a lead in the second act (17-17, 30 ′; 24-28, 48 ′). However, nothing is done and in the money time, the 3 goals of Thomas Bardon (7/7) and the many saves of Ricardo Amerigo (14 in total) could well have allowed the hold-up. But in the last seconds, the Spanish left-hander Mathieu Diaz-Diez allows his family to return home with one more victory on the clock (31-32, 60 ′). Note, however, the capital performance of Florent Joli on the Poitiers side, with no less than 11 goals at 100%, while among the Red and Blacks, the young Maël Fouga (22 years old, center-half) signs a good performance with a 6/6.
Cournon gets his first success
In the “bottom” of the table, Cournon d’Auvergne decorated his first success on the side of Saintes. Firmly in the lead from the end of the first period, Lukas Buchta’s men were intractable in the second act, to obtain a boss’s success away from home (21-28, 50 ′; 27-32, 60 ′). In this success, Adrien Canoën confirms its rise to power (9/11) while the ex-Gonfrevillois Enzo Pelissier released its best performance under the Auvergne colors (15 stops). On the Saintes side, we once again find Rosier and Grujicic at the top of the scorers with 7 goals. Yannick Verdier’s men move to Bordeaux while Cournon tries to move on at home against Vernouillet.
Dreux-Vernouillet precisely, remains stuck in last place with a fourth defeat in a row, facing Mulhouse this time. But if the final score is heavy (22-30, 60 ′), this does not reflect the combativeness of the Euréliens. Because, quickly deprived of their captain released on red card (21 ′), Denis Polydore’s men remain in the match, including solutions inside with Rachid Belkacem (6/7). However, the last quarter of an hour leaves no room for doubt (17-19, 40 ′; 20-28, 55 ′). For the locals, this new defeat brings their overall goal average to -35, in just 4 games. A sadly revealing statistic of the start of the season missed by a team which is unable to find its place in the density of its championship at the moment.
Antoine Piollat