Crucial games for Riga

Coventry Evening Telegraph,  9th February 1999
 
Riga women face a crucial set of matches at their St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick, headquarters at the weekend.

Defeat against Cambridge a fortnight ago has all but precluded them from winning National League Division Three honours but wins against back-to-back rivals Manchester United (11.00am) and Loughborough on Sunday will put Riga in prime position to finish second.

Riga are the only team to have beaten table-topping Cambridge this season but the return fixture brought a 3-0 defeat. "I don't think we played as well as we have done," said coach Martin Warman. "Cambridge were up for the game and played well but we were a bit nervous and they never let us settle."

Riga's Sunday double header will be far from comfortable as Manchester and Loughborough are also chasing the runner-up spot.

Said Riga captain Lynette Purkis: "We still have every chance to end up second and we'll be going flat out for that."