Chelmsford fall to Wildthings
5 March 2009
Chelmsford 21 lost to Romford Wildthings 1-3 14-25, 18-25, 25-23, 14-25 in
Essex Conference C
Player of the match Ed Knopp playing his first game.
| Chelmsford 2 team L to R Top - Richard Bohannan, Ed Knopp, Ian reeve, Steve Peacock (capt), Gary Mower Bottom - Claudia Lambert, John Hill, Alicia Hector, Ken Edwards (coach) Dave Gentry |
Match officials Paul Bohannan and Matt Rufell present player of the match to debutant Ed Knopp |
Chelmsford surrendered their top spot in Essex Conference C last week with a spirited but patchy performance against visitors Romford Wildcards going down 3-1. Newcomer Ed Knopp was outstanding for the home team and looks to become a regular first choice.
Chelmsford started the match with setting shared by Richard Bohannan and Gary Mower, centre attack Steve Peacock (capt) and Claudia Lambert just back from Australia with the main outside attacking roles filled by Ed Knopp and Alicia Hector. The match started badly for the hosts as Romford raced to a 7-0 lead as Murphy dished up a series of bomb-serves that the home team could not return. Eventually they got into the game and but with such a start were soon changing ends having lost the set 25-14. Set 2 saw Ian Reeve come on at outside attack and the experienced John Hill as setter. This configuration worked better for Chelmsford and Knopp came into his own hitting for point after point, but it was still Wildcards that had the firepower in Kandeah and Martin taking the set 25-18.
In set 3 coach Edwards changed tack and put out all his taller players and those who also played for the first team on occasions. Even this group struggled at first to make an impression and it was a close call as the home team pegged back a set at 25-23 with Knopp again showing the way. Set 4 saw Chelmsford revert to the main squad players in the hope of taking it against a tiring Romford who relied on just 7 players in the set. Unfortunately Romford fitness levels held up and with an unpredictable ball going in to setters Hill and Mower they were unable to set up Hector and Reeve often enough to keep up. Romford took the set 25-14 for the 3-1 victory.
Match officials Paul Bohannan and newly qualified Matt Ruffell conferred with scorers Charlotte Mower and Jess Francis to make the choice of Ed Knopp as Chelmsford’s player of the match.