Match Report: Watford YMCA 2, Home 6th January 2005

3-1 win: 25-19, 25-23, 13-25, 25-12 (side-out scores: 11-6, 12-10, 4-16, 17-4)

Team : Ashley Barrow, Brian Dawkins, Bruce Archibald, Jem Clark, Jonathan Glenn, Nigel Collins, Nishi Saran, Roger Gudge, Sara Clark, Sascha Stemme, Sophie Collin & Steve Smith (Yes, 12 players!)

Refs: Neil Bennett, Graham Bird; Scorers: Stuart Collin (plus Roger/Sara)

Set 1 rotation (1 to 6): Nishi (OH), Steve (S), Jem (MB), Sascha (OH), Jonathan (S), Nigel (MB).

Set 2: Bruce (OH), Sophie (S), Roger (MB), Sascha (OH), Sara (S), Ashley (MB) (Yes - 5 changes!)

Set 3: Brian for Sascha and Nigel for Roger.

Set 4: As set 1.

This was our chance to go 1 and 1 with Watford having blown the fifth set in the reverse match just before Christmas, and we did it in style with a whole club effort.

The first set started even until we got stuck on a weaker service reception rotation and went from 7-5 to 7-9. After a timeout we slowly clawed back and then won easily with strong serving from Steve & Jem and good set selection and execution from Jonathan. As always, our service reception and spike cover was variable and not robust enough, but if the setter was given a chance then the spiker made good use of the ball with some strong power hitting from Sascha.

It was all change for the second set with just Sascha remaining on as power hitter, with five players coming off the bench including Sophie making her Herts League debut and Ashley back from injury. It was an exciting set with runs of points for both sides. Good serving from Sascha took us to 11-6 but we subsided to 11-12 on poor service reception. Following a timeout at 11-11 we adjusted the service reception pattern, working for one another and were much more consistent with Sara and Sophie making good use of the improved digs. Watford ignored its coach's instructions to hit down the line through out shorter setters and Roger and Ashley were solid on the net in the middle. Bruce kept the pressure on with his serving, and although the lead swapped sides a couple of times, it always seemed like we would edge it. Cue mass jubilation as the bench won 25-23.

In the third set, Brian made his Herts league debut, on for Sascha with Nigel blocking beside him instead of Roger. Soon we were slightly ahead and reached 11-8 before service reception, cohesion and control all went as Watford surged to 17-11. We never recovered and Watford scored 3 points each with their next 2 servers to win 25-13.

The starting six came back on for the fourth set and we cruised it. Steve's serving took us to 6-2, Jem's to 15-3 with good backcourt cover from Nishi and an awesome stuff block from Nigel. With Jonathan penetrating on service receive, Steve's outside hit was returned by a Watford first pass before we could transition: Steve just called for a second spike and put it away. Nigel served solidly to go 21-7 up and although Watford pulled back a few points they just couldn't match our firepower and we won 25-12.

Nigel.