Opponents: Newcastle Staffs
Competition: National League Division 1
Date: Saturday 28th February 2009
Venue: Bacon's College, Rotherhithe
Result: L 3-2 (23-25, 19-25, 27-25, 25-21, 12-15)
Headline: Docklands miss their chance for revenge
Author: Andy Hopper

London Docklands Volleyball fought back from two sets down only to miss out on a chance of revenge over Newcastle Staffs. Earlier in the season, Staffs, the league's five-set experts, had snatched victory away from Docklands in a topsy-turvy five-set encounter. And with revenge on their minds it looked as though Docklands would fall to their second 3-0 league loss in a row when Staffs went 2-0 up.

The first two sets had followed similar patterns with Staffs taking an early lead only for Docklands to come back later in the set, on both occasions too late. With Yassir Sliti out injured and Wayne Davies arriving late, Docklands coach Ian Legrand gave a first start to Mark Hitchcock. After some good work by Staffs' Chris Anderson and James Cooper the visitors took a commanding lead in the first set and even though Docklands recovered with the help of an ace by Matt Butterworth, Staffs were still in control at 22-18 up. But then two points in a row by Hitchcock piled the pressure back on Staffs and when Anderson found the net Docklands were back to within a point. Cooper restored Staffs' two point lead but two points in a row from Alexis Blair, the second a block on Cooper, saw the scores tied at 23-23. However, Dave Lovell produced a kill off the Docklands' block and then Hitchcock went long to give Staffs the set 25-23.

Staffs started set two in a hurry and they took a 12-5 lead after kills by Cooper and Will Roberts. Legrand tried to change things by introducing Davies and Marc Schaepertoens but despite a mini comeback by Docklands, Staffs strolled to a 2-0 lead 25-19.

With nothing to lose Docklands started to play with more freedom and some good work at the net by Butterworth and Blair saw them rewarded with a 15-12 lead. But then Cooper produced a run of seven serves that put extra pressure on Docklands' passing unit. An ace and an Anderson kill were followed by four Docklands' hitting errors in a row, gifting Staffs a 19-15 advantage. Legrand brought back Alex Gaitan and his extra height brought immediate dividends when he blocked Lovell. This was followed up by a Butterworth block on Roberts and Docklands suddenly had belief again. Two consecutive Staffs' hitting errors saw Docklands back to within a point at 22-21 down, forcing Craig Handford to call his first time out of the set. The sides exchanged points until Anderson gave Staffs their first match points at 24-22. Davies saved the first one and then rose to shut out Lovell to deny Staffs a 3-0 win. Lovell redeemed himself in the next point only for Falko Drijfhout to put his serve long. Davies then scored an ace to give Docklands their first set point. Lovell then blazed his smash wide to give Docklands a lifeline with a 27-25 third set win.

Staffs' players were incensed at the line call at the end of the set and two of their players were given yellow cards, giving Docklands a 2-0 lead at the start of set four. Two Docklands' errors immediately cancelled out this advantage but Butterworth scored two points in a row to get Docklands back on track. Later his second ace of the match took Docklands 12-6 ahead but points by Anderson and Cooper pegged back Docklands. An ace by Anderson saw Staffs back to within a point at 15-14 only for him to blast his next serve out the back. Mohammed Sliti then blocked Drijfhout to give the home side more breathing space. Docklands maintained their lead with the help of blocks by Davies and Gaitan and it was a kill by Davies that sealed the set, taking the match into the deciding fifth set.

Before this match Staffs had played in five five-set matches this season, two more than any other team. They had won three of those games, one of them against Docklands back in October. By comparison Docklands had gone to five sets three times, winning only one. Docklands got off to a flyer with a Davies kill and a Halatchev block. However, Staffs recovered well and kills by Lovell and Anderson took them 7-4 up. A Docklands' error extended their lead and after exchanging points Staffs reached double figures with a 10-6 lead. Then came Docklands' comeback. Halatchev kicked it off and then two Staffs' errors in a row saw Docklands back to within a point. After a Staffs' time out, another hitting error appeared to have tied the scores, only for Davies to be adjudged to have touched the net band. Cooper increased Docklands' dismay but Halatchev and Blair stalled Staffs' march to 15 points. Anderson reduced Staffs' nerves and then Drijfhout blocked Blair to give Staffs two more match points. Halatchev saved the first one but then Cooper came to rescue of his team again, bludgeoning his way through the Docklands' block.

Results elsewhere mean Docklands still require at least one more win to be safe from relegation. They have to wait for three weeks before getting their next chance when they travel to City of Bristol on 21st March.

There was better news for Docklands' assistant coach Danny Primus whose ladies team Swiss Cottage achieved two 3-0 victories this weekend. They now only need one more 3-0 win to secure their first ever Div 1 title.

Docklands: Davies 12 kills (21 attempts), Schaepertoens 0 (1), Halatchev 8 (14), Hitchcock 2 (7), Gaitan 0 (4), M Sliti 9 (23), Blair 15 (35), Butterworth 8 (14), Mills (Libero). Subs not used: Senatore, Apostolov.

Staffs: Drijfhout 4 (10), Allen 1 (1), Neveykin 0 (0), Lovell 11 (26), Anderson 22 (40), Cooper 19 (44), Roberts 7 (11), Riding (Libero).

Black Knight: Alexis Blair

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