"This was never going to be a pretty game," said skipper Tom Young after the match, "but we showed we can dig in and grind out a result against lower teams when we have to. We know we can play better than this - and we will, mark my words."
(13/01/2001)
| It may not have been the best of the six but Warwick Riga's Men's National League Division One team chalked up their sixth straight win on Saturday with a three-one result against lowly Salford. After four league wins on the bounce plus a Cup victory in the run up to Christmas, the local side were always favourites to dispose of Salford but the Yuletide break conspired to make it a harder task than it should have been. | |
| Problems on the M6 delayed Riga's arrival and despite the start time being put back 15 minutes, the side started the match as if they were still enjoying the warm-up. Salford, eager to secure a second league victory, made all the running, although they gave away as many points as they won. Sloppy play and an inability to serve by Warwick then handed the home side the lead they wanted and the set, 25 - 19. | |
| A few home truths, coupled with a minor adjustment in personnel, had the desired effect on the Riga performance in set two. Once a 5 - 1 lead was established, Salford's interest was minimal. Tom Spijkers and John Gilling were the main thorns in the Salford side, who continued to be error prone. The end came at 25 - 18 with a service ace from the returned Richard Meade. | |
| Salford responded to the reverse by taking a 7 - 4 lead in the third set as Warwick's failure to serve proved their undoing. It was left to captain Tom Young once again to lead the way as he and Spijkers combined to push Riga back in front. Once there, the visitors were never going to be overtaken and despite being pursued all the way, Warwick closed out the set 25 - 21. | |
| The fourth set had Riga throw away a commanding 7 - 2 lead, amassed in the main by
Frenchman Vincent Joubert. Twice Salford levelled the scores before the Spijkers-Gilling
combination led the decisive breakaway. With Salford ragged, the set became a cakewalk,
fittingly concluded by a Joubert attack at 25 - 16. "This was never going to be a pretty game," said skipper Tom Young after the match, "but we showed we can dig in and grind out a result against lower teams when we have to. We know we can play better than this - and we will, mark my words." |
Beers after the game |
| Next weekend sees all the Warwick teams in action. On Saturday the Men play host to Wessex in National League Division One at the St. Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, Warwick (6pm). Having suffered defeat at the hands of their visitors earlier in the season, Riga will be seeking to redress the balance. "It was a close five setter down at their place," notes captain Young, " and we fancied our chances in the return then. Now we're hitting our best form, we should be even more hopeful of victory and I'm confident we'll do it." | |
| The Women's Division Two side start their 2001 campaign with a trip to third-placed Loughborough seeking revenge for an earlier defeat. Like the Men they too have started to hit form but Loughborough will be a stiff test. "The University is a National Centre of Excellence for women's volleyball, so there are no easy games against them," reflects captain Rachel McCarthy. "On our day we can compete and if that happens the result can easily come our way." Finally the Women's Division Three team take on Camden and Chelmsford in London on Sunday as they strive to pull away from the bottom of the table. | |