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Essex Conference B Chelmsford 2 lost to Exiles 1-3 - set scores 23-25, 25-19, 18-25, 22-25 Chelmsford run of woe continues Chelmsford second team were beaten for the third match in arrow this time on home court at Anglia Ruskin University going down in four sets against a workmanlike Exiles team. The result leaves them with only one victory so far and their chances of a challenge for the title in ruins. The seasons’s opening match in October was against the same opposition in a match that Chelmsford won convincingly 3-0, but if the home side thought this was another easy win they were soon put right by a bright start by Exiles for whom their tall captain Mark Thomas was the stand out player. The Chelmsford first six of Richard Bohannan and Gary Mower setting, Larissa Feuchmueller and Marcus Kawulski middle and Ian Reeve alongside the versatile Matt Ruffell outside attack were 3-0 down before they realised the game was underway. Having scrambled their first point Richard Bohannan put on a master class of hard accurate serving taking the home team 13-3 up a psotion from which they should have won the set. But Thomas was also to prove how much damage a good serve can do and got Exiles back into the game at 13-13. Chelmsford had their chances but were often tentative in attack with only Reeve showing the way with guile and deft hits into space. The set went 25-23 to Exiles. Coach Ken Edwards shuffled his players for set 2 bringing on Tom Ashley, Jamie Forrester into outside attack, Claudia Lambert into middle and Steve Peacock as a setter. This worked well and as the players got used to each other Ashley in particular caught the eye in one rally blasting the ball three times to get his reward of the point. Exiles played steady as she goes volleyball targeting the back corners of the Chelmsford court but Peacock and Kawulski were strong in defence. The home team levelled the score taking the set 25-19. Set three saw Chelmsford start with what on paper looked a well balanced line up with Ashley and the returning Ruffell as the main attack. However failure to get the ball to the setter to establish the attack and then setting too often to a point between the attackers disrupted the home team. Exiles cashed in taking the set 25-18 to go 2-1 up. In set 4 Chelmsford had to change and they did bringing back Reeve who was to go on to be awarded player of the match and Forrester. Between them they made a good contribution but all too often the previously solid home defence now looked rocky and the ball played into corners seemed suddenly to become a major problem. The odd line call and net cord which did not go their way saw them always trying to play catch up and at the end it was players trying almost too hard to win the point rather than letting the ball run that cost them a tight set at 25-22. The result leaves them at the foot of the conference table and perhaps looking to the handicap cup for some silverware. Speaking after the game coach Ken Edwards did not seem too disheartened ‘Not the result we hoped for but they played well tonight and we had some new combinations to try out not all of which worked. Overall I am happy to see the players progressing – Kawulski and Reeve had good matches and it was encouraging to see Ashley back to his best. We have a tough game against Brentwood next Thursday (tonight) and several new players looking to get into the team so there is competition for places which is good. As a club we are about developing talent and giving them match experience – the results will come in time.’ Chelmsford’s next game has an 8.30 warm up at Mildmay sports centre Anglia Ruskin Rivermead campus. Meanwhile the club are keen to attract more physical disability players for the Essex Pirates Sitting Volleyball team which trains at the same venue between 7.00-8.30pm. contact Ken Edwards 01245 474425 ken.edwards@volleyball.co.uk for details. |