MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
Cambridge beat Newcastle Staffs 25:23 25:18 18:25 25:19
Chesterton Sports Centre, Cambridge.
Sunday 26th February 2006
From relegation zone to the top half of the table in
twenty-four hours. So close is the 2005/06 season that this was the consequence
of two wins for Cambridge this weekend. Newcastle had won on Saturday too so
two confident sides ensured an interesting, well-contested and quality match in
the university city. It looked freezing on the banks of the Cam as I passed and
there seemed more spectators in the hall than by the river. Even if not, I’m
sure they had a more enjoyable time. The noise they made as their boys gained
the upper hand was deafening.
Cambridge enjoyed a lead of just a point or two in the early
stages but ‘castle drew level at nine all and then, in their turn, began to
shade the points tally. At 15:17 they brought on Jonathan Pennock for Ant
Viggars and their score rushed to twenty. Cambridge then introduced Ruud de
Wildt for Vaclav Petricek to perform a similar role and very slowly they closed
the gap drawing level at 23:23 with a tremendous block by John Clarke and
Justin Burtenshaw on Richard Guest. The screaming crowd then saw them repeat the
success for set point to be followed by a winning dump from Justin Burtenshaw.
The lead switched from one side to the other as the second set progressed.
Suddenly, Vaclav Petricek produced a wonderful cross-court smash to break the
tie at sixteen all and Cambridge body language seemed to say, “We’ve got them!”
Indeed they had. The Pennock/Viggars swap failed to produce the same effect as
earlier and, after they had gone 22:18 down, the pressure forced three
successive ‘castle errors as they yielded the set.
As can easily happen when two sets ahead, Cambridge’s
concentration seemed to desert them at the start of the third. They really
needed a slight change in tactic or formation as Ashcombe had demonstrated
against their women’s team in the preceding match (see separate report).
However, they played the same game and were rapidly 0:4 down and although they
managed to regain their composure and reduce the deficit to 13:15, their
visitors were now playing with greater confidence and they reopened and even extended
their superiority as Richard Guest, Dave Lovell and Adam Brewer made them pay.
Set four and a very determined Cambridge six came onto court. Some good serving
and blocking took them into a 4:1 lead and they never let Newcastle settle
afresh. The young lady on my right started to lose her voice at 13:8 but here
even the spectators are trained and a French mademoiselle on my left took over. I learned later that she comes from
Marseille yet had never heard of Matthew Jones. What do they teach ‘em at Cambridge?
No matter. The cheering continued and Cambridge continued to look like the team
that’s third in the table as Newcastle wilted with Andy Lynn, Daniel Escott,
Vaclav Petricek and Justin Burtenshaw shining. It was setter Wijnand Mooij who
received ‘castle’s nomination as Most Valuable Player and it was a well
deserved selection. In addition to his excellent distribution he had attacked
effectively when the opportunity presented itself. Ant Viggars got Cambridge’s
vote and I don’t think there will be a dissenting voice. His application and
determination shone through in a side that usually plays much better.
Warwick is equal and London Polonia lie one point behind
Cambridge with a game in hand. They are not quite safe yet but the result
should encourage them to get out danger before they face London Malory in the
last match of the season on 1st April.
Cambridge:
Starting six: Justin Burtenshaw, John Clarke,
Dan Escott, Andy Lynn (captain), Wijnand Mooij and Vaclav Petricek
Libero: James Verrinder.
Other players:
Ruud de Wildt
Coach: Jean Jacquet.
Newcastle, Staffs:
Starting six: Sam Bragg, Richard Guest, Simon
Jones, David Lovell, Will Roberts (captain) and Ant Viggars.
Libero: -
Other players: Adam Brewer and Jonathan Pennock.
Coach: -
League Table:
(leading positions) P W L F A Pts.
1. London Docklands 16 13 3 43 19 42
2. London Malory 14 12 2 40 16 38
3. Newcastle, Staffs 17
9 8 32 34 35
4. City of Bristol 14
8 6 27 24 30
5. Cambridge 15
7 8 30 27 29
6. Warwick Riga 15
7 8 28 27 29
Acknowledgements: EVA web site and results
service.