Richmond Docklands start 2018 with a bang and three points
London Lynx were the first of two visitors to try and prolong Richmond Docklands’ worrying three-match losing streak – in fact the home side hadn’t won a Super8s league match since the reverse fixture way back on 4th November.
Yet despite the long holiday break and just a few training sessions to knock the rust off, coaching duo Luis Bello and Andy Hopper’s side stormed out of the gates and took the first set of 2018 with ease, running out 25-15 winners.
Lynx’s squad is full of talent, however, and they were not planning on going quietly. The second set was a seesaw affair with Lynx slowly getting back up to speed in the match. Yet, Richmond Docklands had a three point lead at 23-20 and should have closed out the set but a few self-inflicted errors gave Lynx hope. The visitors duly took their chance and evened the match at one set each with a hard fought 30-28 victory.
After grasping defeat from the jaws of victory in the second set, Richmond Docklands seemed determined to arrest the decline and began set three with purpose. Service pressure told and Lynx struggled to side out with consistency. Slowly but surely, the home side’s lead grew and set three was finished in a rather flattering score line of 25-16.
First point of the New Year in the bag perhaps, but it was the outright victory that Bello’s boys really wanted. Lynx’s depleted side were labouring to come back into the match, and although they stood toe-to-toe with their hosts it wasn’t to be. Richmond Docklands celebrated a fourth set victory 25-21 and with it claimed all three points on offer.
Black Knight v Lynx: Matteo Veggian
Docklands MVP v Lynx: Javier Bello
Lynx MVP: Marcin Konpa