Exiles 0 – 3 Southend 2
21-25, 15-25, 22-25
Sunday lunchtime at the Riverside. Southend2 were ready to kick off their season. Training had gone well. Rotations practised and a strong 7 turned up ready to prosecute the Exiles.
Set 1 was a topsy turvy affair. Southend looked shaky at times with balls hitting the floor because of nervous defending. Early season rustiness was hopefully the cause. As the set continued, this proved to be case. Strong serving from Williams, excellent blocking by Beale and Carr and Southend found themselves the winners of the first set.
Set 2 brought Dando on for Carr. Dando was revelatory – 7 straight serving points, solid defence and newly acquired intelligence in finding space on the Exiles side of court. Exiles committing criminal errors on their side of court. Their disorganisation meant they were not the force Southend were expecting. With excellent setting by Hedgecock and Husk helping the hitters find the gaps, Southend played very consistently. Even when the Exiles called a timeout, Southend ‘resisted a rest’ and finished the set with the minimum of fuss.
Set 3 and Southend again dominated from the service line. Southend MVP Beale was at his dominant best – in every block and killing the ball without fuss. Southend found themselves 11-4 up but then Exiles decided to play. Suddenly Southend were 18-20 down and wobbling. Cometh the hour, cometh the captain Sam Birkinshaw. Although the shortest on the team and not a big jumper, Birkinshaw displayed exemplary hitting technique to kill the ball through four. Then at the service line, Birkinshaw served out for a Southend victory.
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