Cardiff City Korfball Club

With another impressive second team victory secured, it was up to the firsts to further extend their lead a the top of the table against a Bristol Uni team showing some rumbles of good form, and with the BUSA nationals looming large.

The game started as a cagey affair, with the students more than aware of the firepower possessed by the hosts. Their tactic, quite correctly, was to keep the ball as far away from City hands as possible! This frustrating tactic worked for a good 5 minutes, before a Dave's awareness opened the scoring. With Rob scrambling the ball in the corner, he released Susan for a shot which cannoned off the front of the Korf. It seemed only Dave reacted, and swept up the ball and popped it in before anyone else moved.

In attack, the Badgers targeted the City girls; with absolutely no joy at all, Sian and Rachel looking unlikely to concede anything.

Back into Cardiff's attack, and Rob nearly repeated last week's bomb with a rim roller from the sidelines, and also saw a shot from under the basket roll off. Moving the point of attack swiftly, Dave fed to Susan and it was 2-0.

After the swap, Ceri and Rachel were back in attack with their more familiar starting partners of Harry and Sian. In recent weeks Lee and Kristina have proved just how strong the City squad is, a point not lost on the two returning to the squad. Within minutes, Harry spotted Sian get behind the feed and dropped a perfect pass over for Sian to convert with ease. Welcome back.

Harry's influence on the division was soon re-demonstrated, as he fed Rachel for a sublime long shot on the end of a textbook veer.

Not to be left out, Midge dropped her 3rd in 2 games with a long shot, and all four girls were on the board at 5-0!

This female dominance of the game would continue as at one end Sian mopped up everything thrown anywhere near her, and Susan not only peppered the rim, but had a decent-looking goal disallowed to boot.

The students however, where not going to be put off, and did not allow the City train to keep rolling. Instead, they continued their patient build up and aggressive defending and in the end, forced City into errors at both ends. Just when the tide looked like the might start to turn a little, the Cardiff blushes were spared and half time was called at 5-0.

After the now customary half time oranges city were back into the groove. Dave opening the second half as well, with an increasingly familiar long shot. Ceri then showed a blistering turn of pace to skin his marker and open his account off Sian's feed.

With Rachel then also denied an apparently perfectly good goal, the pace of the game was again slowed by the careful student passing. With errors starting to creep back into the City game, Rachel upped the anti and with a wonderful charge and pass drew the switch and found Sian in acres of space. A clinical finish from mid-court later and score was moved up to 8-0.

The game then entered a definite lull. With City not able to get their normally surgical passing going, the game became very scrappy and the ball turned over several times. It was this sort of slow paced game that the students wanted. Within 2 minutes they had netted twice, once after a move around the feed and another that appeared to go through Ceri's arms. However dubious either was, the scores gave the students some belief, and resulted in probably their most concerted period of pressure on the hosts basket. Unfortunately, in defence their new found rigour was manifesting itself in some over zealous defending, from which Harry is a master at drawing set plays.

One concerted charge, foul and whistle later, and the ball was dropping in from the spot.

Little less than 30 seconds later, a carbon copy could have been on the cards, with Harry receiving GBH under the post! However, it was not to be. Ceri then showed a set of heels to his defender and was too far away to be fouled when he received from Sian, and dropped in his second.

The runners would continue as Susan netted from Dave, all with 5 minutes to go, the Cardiff City train finally looked to have hit full steam. Rob collected in mid court and dropped a delightful ball over for Susan to convert, 12-2.

It was almost the last play of the game that City unleashed some real skill and flair into the game. Dave jumping over the half way line to intercept, gathered his barings in mid air, and threw to Ceri, who smartly flipped it on to a waiting Harry, but the ball to sailed just over.

It was a moment of genius Korfball, which was 58 minutes in the making, and was a hint of what City can really do.

The final score of 12-2 was as much a reflection of the patient and careful attacking play and aggressive defending of the students as it was of City's misfiring passing and blunted attacking movement.

However, City can be very pleased of a game where all four girls showed what they are capable of, and everyone showed the control and intelligence that has been a hallmark of City's recent form. It is a rare ability to play badly and still win, City showed they have that.

Thanks once again to Craig for reffing us (and putting up with us moaning old gits!)

Cardiff City	12	2	Bristol University
Susan Belfourd	3
Ceri Jones	2
Dave Thomas	2
Sian Hunt	2
Kat Crimmins	1
Rachel Knight	1
Harry Smyth	1

Harry - probably not going to get the defended shot call from there mate!

Taff launches another airball