Will lightening strike twice for Thunder?

After probably the most gripping  ZEO Superleague final ever it was Manchester Thunder who snatched the title in the final second from the unbeaten team of the season Surrey Storm 48-49.

Shooter Helen Housby netted the final ball from the right corner of the semi-circle after a Storms centre pass was knocked out of play. The 19-year-old shooting sensation was calm under pressure throughout netting 37 out of her 39 attempts.

Although Surrey Storm were ahead in crucial moments leading 26-22 at half time interceptions from captain Sara Bayman and Bury new comer Jodie Gibson in the final quarter turned the game around for the ZEO Superleague Champions.

It was Surrey Storm’s title to win but somehow Thunder kept their nerve. Last year the Manchester side were far from defending their 2012 SL title and could not even finish in the top four of the league.  Agonising one goal defeats to Team Bath and Hertfordshire Mavericks plus injuries to star players Sara Bayman and Janelle Lawson meant the side were far from their best.

Somehow the champions fought back this season with their star find Helen Housby and Bayman back in the team. Now after such an incredible victory over a team they failed to beat throughout the NSL season can Thunder do the unthinkable next year and retain their title?

With the trophy in their hands it’s all tears and smiles in the Manchester camp as Bayman tweeted: “Can’t describe the emotions right now. Thanks for the amazing support. When I stop crying (and drinking) I’ll tweet some sense #winners.”

But Lollipop and I are always focused when it comes to Thunder.

Winning coach Tracey Neville said: “You talk about shooting under pressure – you talk about winning games under pressure and I think that’s what they did tonight.”

Her side will definitely be a team under pressure next season. Whether Surrey Storm coach and player Tamsin Greenway retires or not from the game her team will  be searching for blood against Thunder in their next encounter.

With Hertfordshire Mavericks finishing in 3^rd place after their Superleague play-off against Team Bath ended 34-42 their team look sensational. The Corbin sisters are back on the same side and ZEO player of the Season went to their defender Layla Guscoth with a staggering 59% of the votes. Although Thunder beat the side twice this season Mavericks’ players will be back after a positive end to their 2014 campaign.

There’s no doubt Thunder have some incredible young spirit in Housby and Gibson but they will need regulars Captain Bayman and Shooter Krista Enziano to stay uninjured throughout. Whether they can hold their nerve as well as they did last night in a thrilling tie next season is what Lollipop will be looking out for.

Mo Marathon Champion

Is that something Lollipop and I will ever say? Today the 2012 Olympic Gold medallist over 5,000m and 10,000m finished eighth in the London Marathon in 2:08:21 seconds.

Kenyan Wilson Kipsang finished four minutes after the champ with a course record 2:04.27 seconds.  But when you hold the world record of long distance running with a time of 2:03:23 set in the 2013 Berlin Marathon you can’t really compare these two athletes.

The record breaker stayed among the lead pack until he and countryman Stanley Biwott broke away with just over six miles remaining.

Then in the last two miles, Kipsang surged past the 2012 Paris champion to eventually finish 26 seconds ahead of his rival.

Despite this being Farah’s first competitive marathon he was up against athletes who run up to four a year. Farah finished second  in his last two half-marathons The Great North Run and in New York. He was a debutant amongst leaders which is not his usual role as a track and field champ. So it was no surprise he elected to sit among the second pack of elite runners and made costly errors at two drinks stations when he tried to pick up fluids.

After the race Farah admitted his frustrations and said: “It was pretty tough. I’m quite disappointed but you try things and if they don’t work, at least you gave it a go. It was really just the pace – I should have gone with the front group. The pacemakers I had were slightly ahead of me but you learn – life goes on.”

Lollipop and I definitely believe he can go on. Despite the obvious gap in strength and experience Farah set the fourth fastest time and a new English record.

Olympic Bronze medallist and commentator Brendon Foster said: “I hope Mo stays on the track, runs the shorter distances and defends his title in Rio. I just think this is too much of an unknown territory for Mo.”

But the Somali born English international believes he can improve. When asked if he would do another marathon he added: “Yeah, definitely, 100%. I’m not going to finish it like this. I will be back.”

If Mo had the will to become the first Briton to ever win a long-distance double at the European Championships why can’t he change his game and return to London in 2015 just as strong and tireless as Kipsang?

As Brits Lollipop and I know how frustrating it is to see our athletes just miss out but if Farah competes in just as many marathons as his new rival he could achieve the impossible.

Our Olympic champ was one out of approximately 36,000 runners who took part in the race and although he did not make history the London Marathon was not made for that but for everyone that turned up and raced together for great causes.

Farah made the right choice to make his debut in his home country but now he needs to go on and prove this was not a mistake in a fantastic athletic career.