Sheffield continued their 100% start to the season with a 3-1 win against a resilient Warwick Riga side at All Saints.
Before the match Sheffield were boosted with new signing, Great Britain international Andrew Benson, having just
returned to Britain from playing professional at various top league clubs in Europe. The narrow victory however
came at a cost with Sheffield’s influential captain Matt Howe rolling an ankle in the third set that looks set to keep
him out of next weekend’s crunch match with Leeds Carnegie.
Riga began the match on the back of their first victory of the season against fellow strugglers London Docklands,
and gave an indication as to their intent to keep on their revival as they marched into an early 4-0 lead. Riga
stalwart Kees de Hoogh provided Riga’s firepower using Sheffield’s ill disciplined block time and time again, and
libero Andy Riding ably assisted Phil Wyles as Riga were able to take the first set to 19.
Coach Trenam made two changes at the beginning the second set, with Benson replacing the faultless Simon
Mintoft and Arthur Faure being replaced by Roman Neveykin.
Riga again began the second set strongly and looked to be favourites to take a 2-0 lead before Chris Anderson
twisted his knee following a dodgy landing. Sheffield were able to use this change of personnel to their advantage
by targeting Anderson’s replacement in the service reception unit. With a greater service pressure, the home side
took the second set by just two points.
The early injury of Howe in the third set saw Faure being reintroduced to the action and he was soon back into the
swing with clever roll shots that the Riga defence were unable to pick up. Neveykin barely put a foot wrong other
than from the service line and Sheffield took the third set to just 19 points.
Despite the now standard early set wobble, Sheffield managed to stay calm under pressure and took the final set to
23 in a set that never seemed as close as it ultimately became, aided by strong blocking from Sheffield’s three
rotated middles, Benson, Mintoft and Clayden.
Sheffield travel to Leeds Carnegie next weekend aiming to complete the double over their Yorkshire rivals and give
themselves a strong advantage when the playoffs arrive. |