Late Bristol take a beating

NATIONAL ONE

Docklands 3

City of Bristol 0

LONDON Docklands consolidated their second place in National League One with a 3-0 win over City of Bristol on Saturday.

The Rotherhithe-based side's task was made easier when Bristol were delayed en route and failed to make original and re-arranged start time, gifting the hosts the opening set 25-0 by default.

Docklands soon raced into a 5-1 lead when the action got underway in the second set thanks to the imposing serve of Boris Halatchev.

Bristol's Vladimir Musalimov stopped the rot with two consecutive points before Raf D�rr got the home side back on track with a thunderous kill and a clinical block.

A block on Senatore by Milosz Kuchajewicz put the visitors into a 19-17 lead until Kuchajewicz was called for a lift in the next point and Mohammed Sliti regained the serve.

His serves disrupted Bristol's fragile passing unit and the pressure contributed to three Bristol errors in a row to take Docklands 21-19 ahead.

A kill by D�rr stretched the home side's lead and a smash by Senatore sealed the set 25-22 for Docklands.

Bristol enjoyed a brief 3-1 lead at the start of the third set but Docklands raced back into a 5-3 advantage after points by Martin Blake and Senatore.

The teams exchanged points until blocks by Halatchev and Daniele Di Bella, followed by an ace by Sliti, took Docklands 12-8 ahead.

Blocks by Blake and Halatchev helped maintain their lead before a service run by Senatore emphasised Docklands' dominance.

Sliti, who was later named man of the match, confirmed the whitewash with his second ace.

Docklands now have a weekend break before their KO Cup clash against Division Two strugglers Plymouth Activate.

Docklands: D�rr, Halatchev, Senatore, Schaepertoens, Blake, Sliti, Uzunov, Di Bella, Cottignoli.

Sub not used: Blair.