(18/11/2001)
Warwick‘s opportunity to redeem themselves came quickly with the visit of Third Division Guildford for a second round K.O. Cup tie on Sunday. Despite a spirited performance from the minnows, the match at the Huncote Leisure Centre was never in doubt despite the closeness of the score line. With the Portsmouth result still fresh in his mind, coach John Boughton used the match to examine the strengths of his squad. When Guildford claimed a 6 - 2 lead in the opening set the fragility of the previous night was still evident. However once settled, Gilling, captain-for-the-day de Hoogh and Dan Showler confirmed an 11 - 8 Riga lead and the gap in the two teams’ standing. As de Hoogh continued to dominate the Warwick points gathering, the set was soon concluded 25 - 18.
The second set had Riga comfortably ahead 13 - 9 through Showler and Graham Duckett before home slackness and fine play by Guildford’s Weigandt and Williams pulled the visitors level. As Guildford edged 22 - 21 ahead, an underdog comeback looked on the cards but just as Warwick had choked the previous night, so Guildford errors and the power of Duckett saw Riga home 26 - 24.
When two Duckett finishes allied to a couple of unforced Guildford mistakes gave Warwick an 11 - 8 lead in the third set, an early exit for the Third Division side looked confirmed. With further mistakes compounding their suicidal tendencies, Guildford did well to come back. However this was as much due to Riga errors as the visitors’ own efforts. Despite a late flurry that threatened to take the set into overtime, a Showler finish settled the tie and Warwick’s place in the next round, 25 - 23.
“It was important to win today,” said de Hoogh afterwards. “It restored some pride and faith. Now we need to repeat that in the League and prove that Portsmouth was a one-off blip.”