Opponents: Danes Watford
Competition: Shield Quarter Final
Date: Saturday 4th February 2012
Venue: Bacon's College, Rotherhithe
Result: W 3-1 (25-13, 25-16, 20-25, 25-18)
Headline: Docklands too good for Danes
Author: Andy Hopper

London Docklands progressed to the semi final of the National Shield after beating Danes Watford 3-1. This is only the second time that Docklands have participated in this competition. The last time, back in 2000, Docklands, then called Crofton, also reached the semi-final. Danes are currently fourth in Division 2 North but are still well placed for promotion. They are led by ex-England and GB international Steve Fee. During his spells with Sheffield and Malory, Fee faced Docklands 24 times, winning on 15 occasions. With his experience to call on Docklands were respectful of the visitors and set out to deny Fee his sixteenth win over Docklands.

Docklands started brightly with good play at the net by Platon Vogiatzoglou and Mark Baechli. Danes were struggling to get into the match and clinical blocking by Marc Schaepertoens and Tomas Wenzel gave the Danes attack nowhere to go. In the end a block by Schaepertoens on Fee closed out the set 25-13.

Coach Danny Primus changed half his team at the start of set two but Docklands remained on top. Docklands' block and defence were frustrating Danes and the set ended like the first with Fee blocked, this time by Slyvain Renouard to make it 25-16.

Docklands were guilty of taking their foot off the gas in set three and Danes took full advantage. A strong service run by Jayson McAlpine took Danes away and Fee ended the set again but his time in his favour with a kill to seal the set 25-20.

Buoyed by their third set win Danes took the game to Docklands and the home side knew they had a game on their hands. Docklands weathered the storm early in the fourth set and were happy to lead 8-6 at the first technical time-out. A service run by Matthias Gilch extended their lead to 11-8 forcing Danes coach Paul Westhead to call a time-out. Docklands continued to dominate and a sequence of blocks by Vogiatzoglou kept the scoreboard ticking over for Docklands. The end result was inevitable although a block by veteran Scott Robson on Renouard postponed Docklands' victory, the delay was short lived as Baechli finished off the set 25-18.

Primus commented afterwards, "We were incredibly professional in the first two sets and produced some great volleyball. But we need to learn to maintain our level. The semi final will be a challenge but one I think we can overcome."

Docklands now travel to Tendring in three weeks time for the semi final after the Essex side got past Guildford international 3-1. This means that Docklands will face Tendring twice in eight days with their league match a week after the Shield semi final.

Black Knight: Tom Wenzel

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