|
Site hosted by |
|
|
Chelmsford continue winning streak in the League Chelmsford’s first team bounced back from the mid week cup defeat with a strong display to down Southend Comets and remain unbeaten in Essex Division 1. The 3-1 win sees them joint leaders only trailing the Cup nemesis Brentwood Wildthings on sets difference. Laszlo Maklary took back to back player of the match awards. Sunday nights in Southend were a night out to remember for Chelmsford who apart from a lapse of concentration in set three were on top form for this Division one encounter. Both sides have heavy hitting players who learnt the game in Poland but it was the all round teamwork all the players on court that made this a good contest with every set lasting at least 20 minutes showing the long rallies needed to decide the point. Chelmsford started with John Hill (capt) setting with Paul Bohannan (coach). Middle attack was Anash Vora and Steve Peacock with the heavy hitting on the outside in the capable hands of Dave Gentry and Marcin Widzinski. Laszlo Maklary and Ken Edwards started on the bench. Southend won the first point with a blistering serve and all through they served tough with the jump serving of Kurkowski a feature. As the set progressed Chelmsford eased out a lead of a few point built on the excellent defence of Peacock, Hill and especially Gentry whose recovery work was excellent. Chelmsford took the set 25-20. Set two saw the same line up again loose the first point and struggle to handle the hitting power form Blas and Kurkowski. But Kawulski and Genrty now in the front court were giving the ball a good belt as well and with some excellent kills through the middle from Peacock Chelmsford eased through 25-23. In set three Bohannan put on Maklary to set and although the height in the block did slow down the Southend hitters, they quickly changed the point of attack and Coussins and Bailey finding gaps in the defence. With tough serving from Coussins, Southend moved from 11-8 up to 19-8 and took control of the set. This was the longest of the sets and the rallies were long and hard fought, the margin between winning and losing the point often a stray netcord or a centimetre of the ball being in or out. Edwards saw a brief run out towards the end but the set was already lost and the final score of 25-13 left Chelmsford rather stunned and Southend right back in the game. When the going gets tough, it’s the tough that get going and Chelmsford regrouped, brought Bohannan back on and switched Maklary to use his height at outside attack. After ritually losing the first rally, Chelmsford snapped back into gear and went 9-1 up as Vora’s serve was backed up by some excellent front court blocking from Peacock and Widzinski. Southend did come back and at one stage were within a point but Chelmsford were not to be denied. Two crushing hits by Widzinski saw them at set point and a tired serve into the net from Southend finished the game. Any one of the Chelmsford team would have had a claim on player of the match, and it was Laszlo Maklary that caught the official’s eye for the second match in a row. The result leaves Chelmsford with three wins in three from the league with two matches remaining. Coach Bohannan commented ‘A great all round performance where we won the difficult points. Even the set we lost we made them fight all the way and the score could and should have been much closer. We now face the two Brentwood teams with a chance to avenge the cup defeat against Wildthings who remain unbeaten in the county for the last few years. I think we are ready to push them all the way’. |