(23/09/2000)
With Friday’s Birmingham & District fixture cancelled due to problems at the Hillcrest end, it was left to Riga’s men’s first team to carry the club’s banner into the new season. Their National League Division One trip to London to play Polonia did not end with success but the three-one reverse left the team still in buoyant mood. Given the disruption to our training schedule in the build up to tonight, we could have had a serious battering. In the end, Polonia were grateful to hang on for the win, was skipper Tom Young’s view after the match.
The game started quite evenly as both sides were slow to get to grips with the start of their seasons. For Riga, John Gilling seemed intent on re-establishing his man-of-the-match status won so convincingly in the Shield Final at Sheffield. He dominated the Riga attack in the first half of the opening set. Slowly, however, Polonia stretched out a lead. Despite a rearguard action led by Gilling and captain Tom Young, Polonia were able to take that advantage into a 25 - 22 set victory.
The second set saw a more dramatic change in fortunes. Polonia went 5 - 2 up before their visitors responded with a 10 - 7 lead. As Riga pulled further away at 14 - 9, the set looked destined for them. Then Polonia’s Alex Saller destroyed that lead with some devastating serving to give his side the edge at 18 - 16. Once in the driving seat, Polonia motored home 25 - 20.
Riga were in no mood to be dispirited and attacked the third set with the same intent as the second. The result was almost identical. A 17 - 12 lead for Riga, garnered through Young, Graham Duckett and a series of home errors, was reversed through the serving of Rob Hall. This time the visitors dug deeper and Young fittingly closed out the set 25 -22.
The fourth set had a tired Riga in high spirits but Polonia once more in control. Once the home team took a 10 - 6 lead, they looked set for victory and so it was at 25 - 21, despite the valiant efforts of Young, Gilling and the rest of the Riga side.
"I was pleased with how we played on the whole," said Young afterwards. "We didn't play as consistently as we can throughout the sets and our serving let us down. But if we can keep this standard up and improve on it, we’ll go places this year."
Riga’s next test comes on Saturday, when they entertain Division One newcomers Salford at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick (6.00pm). The visitors faced a baptism of fire in their opening fixture - taking on champions Malory away from home. The result was in little doubt - few teams can live with the international-packed giants of English volleyball - but the experience will have wakened them up to the realities of the top flight. Riga will similarly be looking to educate their visitors if they are to entertain a finish higher than their eighth place of last term. Games like Salford should be bread and butter for us now. Something to keep us going between main courses, agrees a confident Young
Also on Saturday and starting at 3.30pm, the club will hold the first of a series of open sessions for people of any age to experience volleyball at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre. The session is being funded by a grant from Sport England via the Millennium Festival Awards for All Committee. Anyone interested should contact John Boughton on 024-7640-2194 for further details