Opponents: Cambridge & Newcastle Staffs
Competition: National League Division 1
Date: Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th April 2008
Venue: Bacon's College
Cambridge Result: 3-1 Win (20-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-17)
Staffs Result: 3-2 Win (19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-27, 15-10)
Headline: Docklands win double header weekend
Author: Andy Hopper

London Docklands Volleyball enjoyed a double home winning weekend with victories over Cambridge and Newcastle Staffs. With only one match left Docklands are now sure of a top half finish and will still have a say in the destination of the league title. Their match against arch rivals Malory next Saturday is a must win for the west London side who know that any slip could let Sheffield back into the title race.

At the other end of the table Cambridge came to Bacon's College knowing that nothing less than a win would do. Cambridge have enjoyed four seasons in the top flight but inconsistent form this term has seen them fall into the relegation zone. They showed why they have struggled this year in the first set as Docklands eased into a five point lead with strong attacking by Klaus Thummert and Nathan French. At 19-14 up Docklands looked completely in control but three consecutive errors gave Cambridge hope. An ace by Stephen Sarkozy piled more pressure on the home side and another Docklands error saw the scores tied at 20-20. Neither side could then earn more than a one point lead until a Cambridge block and another Docklands error gave the visitors an unexpected one set lead.

Normal service was resumed in set two as a service run by Danny Primus took his side 6-2 up. Some clever attacking play by Enrico Savoia stretched Docklands' lead and an ace by Alex Gaitan saw them take a 19-10 lead. This time there was no comeback and Docklands cantered to a 25-16 second set win.

Docklands enjoyed the early stages of set three as a Savoia ace took them 6-2 ahead. But Cambridge held on and a service run by Sijme-Jan Paardekooper helped tie the scores at 13-13. Then a kill and ace by Martin Niederste-Ostholt saw Cambridge go 15-13 up. However, a kill by French and a Primus block followed by two Cambridge errors gave the initiative back to Docklands. Savoia and Thummert led the way for Docklands as they took their chance, taking the set 25-20.

The fourth set remained tight until a service run by Adam Phillips saw Docklands take command. Blocks by Gaitan and Savoia combined with kills by Phillips and Thummert saw Docklands take an unassailable 21-13 lead. In the end another run of Primus serves saw Docklands home 25-15.

The result relegated Cambridge and left Docklands in the hunt for a top four finish. Their opponents on Sunday, Newcastle Staffs, enjoyed an easy 3-1 win on Saturday against already relegated Guildford International. Staffs are one of the mainstays of Men's division 1 but have never won the title. They came second three times in the 1990s but have finished in the bottom half of the table for the last six seasons. A win would have given Staffs a chance of finishing ahead of Docklands in fifth place. However, they needed to produce only their third away win of the season. After a persistent back injury ruled out Francesco Riginelli, Legrand was pleased to welcome back Dejan Miladinovic for his first match of the season.

The visitors started confidently and noisily celebrated ever point as they powered their way into a 16-7 lead. They didn't allow Docklands to settle into any sort of rhythm as James Cooper and Will Roberts battered their way through and around the Docklands block. The home side were clearly rattled but some clever hitting by French and Miladinovic edged Docklands back into the set. They narrowed the gap to four points but could not make up the massive lead they had relinquished at the start of the set. Staffs finally won 25-19 but Docklands had recovered well towards the end of the set to give their supporters hope.

However, after a promising first few rallies Docklands gave up a cluster points to go behind 8-4. Coach Ian Legrand called a time out to try and curtail Staffs' momentum and after impressive defence by libero Alexis Blair and some rather less orthodox pick ups by Gaitan, Docklands got a foothold in the set to tie the scores at 9-9. Aces by Phillips and Thummert helped keep the impetus with Docklands as the home side's attack started to ware down the Staffs defence. A block by French on Roberts saw Docklands go 20-13 up and the set looked to be going the way of Docklands. Despite a mini-recovery by Staffs, Docklands held on to tie the match with a 25-21 second set win.

The early stages of set three were close as neither side was able to string together a run of points to gain any sort of advantage. Docklands were the first team to make a break during a run of deceptive serves by Phillips which put pressure on the Staffs passing unit. Docklands gained a 12-7 advantage but three blocks by Staffs got them back in the set and the score was tied at 15-15. But as the set reached its critical stage a block by Miladinovic and two Staffs errors gifted the advantage back to Docklands and a kill and an ace by Thummert saw the set go to Docklands 25-20.

Docklands set about closing out the match at the start of set four and quickly raced into a 4-1 lead. They extended their advantage with the help of kills by Thummert and French and looked to be coasting to a four set win at 15-10. This lead became 21-15 and although Staffs got two points back, Docklands moved to match point at 24-20. After saving the first match point, Dave Lovell then set off on a service run to help steam roll his side back into the match. Two kills by Sam Booth and a block by Roberts saw the set tied at 24-24. French killed the next ball to set up Docklands' fifth match point only for Roberts to respond again. Then a Docklands rotation fault handed the initiative back to Staffs and Roberts shut out French to see Staffs steal the set 27-25 and take the match into a deciding fifth set.

The final set started badly for Docklands as two errors gifted the visitors an early lead. But Docklands fought back and an ace by Thummert saw his side 8-7 up at the switch of ends. Both sides exchanged points until 10-10 and then it was Phillips' turn to serve again. He again produced a string of awkward serves, the first two of which caused Staffs to over pass which were duly despatched by Gaitan. Docklands then defended an Ant Viggars attack which Primus fed to Miladinovic who duly put it away. Further service pressure caused a Staffs setting error and Docklands had another match point at 14-10. This time they wasted no time as Miladinovic hit off a despairing Staffs' block to seal a thrilling five set win for Docklands.

Docklands' coach Legrand said afterwards, "It wasn't always pretty volleyball but we fought well when it mattered and showed some great spirit to come through both matches this weekend. We now owe it to ourselves and the league to give Malory a run for their money next weekend. They have done it to us enough times in the past and it would be good to spoil their party next Saturday and we will need to show a lot more of this fighting spirit to stand a chance."

Black Knights: Cambridge - Adam Phillips, Staffs - Alexis Blair

Docklands: Phillips 10 kills (17 attempts), Riginelli 0 (0), French 10 (20), Thummert 19 (35), Savoia 14 (20), Gaitan 2 (7), Primus 0 (4), Blair (Libero). Sub not used: Grandolfo.

Cambridge: Paardekooper 10 (28), Clarke 0 (7), Lynn 8 (17), de Fransesco Schreiber 2 (5), Neher 5 (6), Sarkozy 11 (27), Niederste-Ostholt 2 (7). Sub not used: Seixas.

* * * *

Docklands: Miladinovic 10 kills (24 attempts), Phillips 6 (15), French 15 (27), Thummert 10 (32), Gaitan 8 (16), Primus 0 (3), Blair (Libero). Subs not used: Grandolfo, Riginelli.

Staffs: Viggars 5 (23), Lovell 5 (7), Brewer 3 (11), Booth 7 (16), Pennock 6 (9), Cooper 19 (25), Roberts 6 (18), Riding (Libero).

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