(18/12/2000)
The Men's National League Division One side get the Riga Club's 2001 account off the mark with a trip to lowly Salford on Saturday. Having amassed five wins in five matches, a continuation of their winning ways will be Warwick's target for the match.
Four league wins plus a Cup triumph have certainly put a smile on Riga faces in the run up to Christmas. The League success represents their best ever achievement in Division One and they have every chance of extending that record before they come up against the top two teams in the country in successive weeks.
However the Christmas break has seen mixed fortunes for some of the Warwick players. Graham Duckett, out with a broken ankle since early November, expects to start training again shortly. That welcome boost has been counterbalanced by an injury to David Nason which seems certain to keep him out of the Salford clash. A collision during pre-Christmas training resulted in Nason breaking a bone in his hand and it is touch and go whether he will be fit for Salford.
"We changed our line-up against Aquila and that seems to have changed our fortunes too," says skipper Tom Young. "We're light on middle players at the minute and if Dave isn't fit, then we'll have to change again. I know our coach isn't too happy about that and we're trying to sort out a replacement. With us at full strength, Salford are only a problem if we get too cocky and don't put the effort in - and I'll be making sure everyone's performing 110 percent."
With Salford having only one victory to their name this season, and that against winless Egham, Riga should have few worries. That said, Salford have performed a lot better on their home "turf" than they have on their travels. The three-nil whitewash suffered at the hands of Warwick earlier in the season, plus their visitors' handsome run of form, will hardly make Salford rub their hands in anticipation of a second league victory. However their hosts will no doubt make sure Riga receive a warm welcome.