Cardiff Uni 2 home, 1sts
22-3 Remco Broekhuis (7), Lee O’Sullivan (5), Joey Niblett (3), Dave Thomas (2), Helen Gubby (2), Rachel Knight (2), Sian Hunt (1), Amy Shillabeer
The first home game of the year was able to take place after Pete and Josh did an intensive sweeping of the court. Jack was absent, but it was also the first time this season that a team made up exclusively of first-team players was put out. This wasn’t obvious early on, as Dragons struggled to find their fluency on a small court and against aggressive intercept defence. Goals only came occasionally, and the inexperienced but athletic uni team posed a threat with their running-in shots which, with better finishing, could have had them very close. As it was, the half finished with Dragons having a 7-2 lead.
In the second half, Dragons moved up a gear, although still not reaching their best form. Long shots began to drop, and there was also a regular stream of penalties for fouls on running-in shots. With goals being well spread amongst the team - Remco and Lee both having their tally’s boosted by penalties, 15 goals were scored in the second half, which always takes some doing. Credit to the uni team who never gave up and didn’t allow many easy goals, though they may need to work on avoiding over-committing in defence.
The victory means that Dragons 1 become the first team assured of a place in the top pool in the next phase of the Welsh League. While City 1 seem certain to join them, the other 2 positions remain open, with the Chiefs, Cane Toads, and Dragons 2 all holding their destinies in their own hands, and Uni 1 will still harbour hopes of making it.