(08/04/2000)
Warwick Riga will be hoping that next Saturday provides the crowning glory to their season with victory in the Shield Final in Sheffield following another lacklustre League performance last weekend. The three-one defeat at the hands of Aquila saw them fall to eighth place as the National League Division One programme finished. Ironically if they had won on Saturday, the side would have risen to sixth place, equalling last season's achievement. "We did better than the previous week against Egham, but we're still off our true pace," confirmed captain Tom Young.
Riga's match preparations were disrupted by the late withdrawal of defensive specialist Mark Fearn due to illness. Dan Showler was drafted in to his position and was one of the team's few consistent performers. For Warwick the first set seemed to sum up their season. Lots of potential early on; a lead extracted justifiably by the better side, then a steady loosening of the grasp until defeat seemed the only outcome. So it was, as a 16 - 12 lead evaporated into a 25 - 23 loss.
The second set seemed to be heading the same way as Aquila opened up an early lead and hung on despite some spirited Riga responses. From 11 each, the tide of fortune swept in Warwick's direction. Captain Young at last exposed a shaky Aquila reception as Richard Meade and Graham Duckett took advantage at the net. From then on Riga were the better side, with the introduction of Ben Bunn only serving to increase the pressure on Aquila. The 25 - 16 conclusion gave justice to the performance.
Arguably the turning point of the match happened in the third set. At 8 - 3 up, Warwick looked to have the set in their sights. On other day, in another venue that would have happened. Instead, with confidence still fragile, Riga allowed Aquila back to level the scores at 15 apiece and then wilted under the serving bombardment of Ed Ekanem. Despite a revival lead by Phil Wyles which pulled the score back to 20 - 22, Aquila were in no mood to let up and finished the set comfortably 25 - 20.
The fourth set provided a close contest in the early stages, but once Aquila assumed the lead at 16 - 14, Warwick seemed to lose heart with interest. A somewhat dispirited side ended the contest 20 - 25 losers.
"It was in many ways a typical end of season game" was captain Tom Young's opinion after the match. "Neither side was in danger of relegation. Aquila were trying lots of different things which came off more often than not. We played well in patches but at the moment, we've lost the belief in winning."
Certainly Riga will enter the Shield Final in Sheffield off the back of three straight defeats. Hardly the best psychological preparation for a match against a Liverpool side that has experienced the heights and depths of Warwick's form this season. "We'll be working hard this week to get things right for Saturday. To say our coach is not best pleased with us at the minute is a bit of an understatement. We all know we can play better but it's doing it on the day which is the problem now." Saturday's match at Sheffield's Ponds Forge arena is Riga's first ever National Final and highlights of the match will feature on Sky Sports later. Victory is within Warwick's capability, but so is defeat and therein lies the rub.