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Opponents: Stoke and Malory
Date: Saturday 13th and 14th October 2001
Result: 3-2 Loss and 3-1 Loss
Venue: Bacon's College, Rotherhithe
Headline: A Weekend Of Woe
Author: Mike Lams
It
was a bitter blow for London Docklands as they came
away empty handed from a home double fixture this
weekend. This is despite good performances against
the experienced Stoke on Saturday and current League
Champions Malory on Sunday, a match postponed from
earlier in the season.
The pre season fitness work was severely put to
the test as Docklands went through a marathon five-setter
vs Stoke. London Docklands scored over fifty points
in the first two sets but still lost them as City
of Stoke took both, Docklands replied with another
hard fought set and then eased through the fourth
to set up deciding fifth set.
Docklands
showed great character coming from 2 sets to nil down
but coach Ian Legrand was despairing of his
charges as Docklands blew hot and cold - dominating
large portions of the match, only to let their opponents
back in with error ridden sequences of play. Stoke
were jubilant in victory, as for them this was revenge
for last year's quarter final Cup match, which the
London side, then in the division below, had won convincingly.
On Sunday Docklands had to shake the memory of
Saturday's defeat from their minds and focus on their
toughest test of the year. Malory, also of London,
have been National Champions for nine of the last
ten years, and currently boast a crop of international
players.
Docklands
showed no tiredness and surprised Malory by taking
the first set - the first the Malory have lost all
season! Confident play and great team work was the
basis of the challenge, with new Dutch signing van
Engeland leading the way with a series of unstoppable
shots.
Malory
regrouped and came out ready to exact revenge in the
second set, but Docklands refused to be bowed. It
stayed neck and neck until 20-20, as the strategy
of tough serving paid dividends for the local side.
However, in the last few points, the experience of
the Champions showed through and they stole the set
away 25-23.
This seemed to knock the stuffing of Docklands as
much as it inspired Malory. It was Malory who came
out firing on all cylinders, and it was their power
serving that brought them the third set and ultimately
the match. For despite a revival in the latter part
of the fourth set, Docklands ran out losers 25-22
23-25 12-25 21-25.
The
challenge for Docklands now is to keep the belief
that they can have a successful season in the top
flight. They have shown that they can live with even
the best in the Division, but now the time has come
to turn the promise into victories.
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