Photo: Warwick SU

Varsity clockwatch: DAY TWO

By Luke Brown
Jan. 31, 2015
Posted in Sport, University Sport

20:10: It’s all over. Warwick have extended their lead to a 6-2 advantage, but Coventry are winning those other two singles matches. The tie is going to be re-scheduled in the near future, to see who wins this 2015 Varsity fixture. And that’s your lot! What did we learn today, class? Well I think it was probably that the Coventry women’s football team are jammier than a bumper packet of jammy dodgers with extra jam and a side-helping of jam (jam jam jam) and that you should never attempt to play the Warwick water polo team because they will completely Koan you up. Mad respeckt for our snooker and tennis teams too, Boar Sport has got your back forever and always. Anyway this blog has been running for over seven hours now and I need something to eat pronto. Come back tomorrow for the biggest day of Varsity yet, when everything from the football to the rugby to the hockey will be going down. It’s getting me all hot and bothered just thinking about it. Bye! 

19:40: The score is currently 4-2 in our favour, but we’re 2-1 down in the men’s singles games currently being played. Alessandro Bomfatti is winning his match after taking the first set 6-4, but we’re down in the other two, meaning that- if it was all to end as the scores currently suggest- we’d have ourselves a 6-6 tie and need a shoot-out to decide who takes the tie. Dramatic stuff: all we need now is a dour Scottish bloke and Sue Barker trundling around and we’d have ourselves a full on Wimbledon environment.

19:35: The rumour currently doing the circuit is that the matches will have to be finished tomorrow, leaving those precious two points temporarily hanging in the balance.

19:30: I’ve joined Shingi at the Tennis Centre for the end of the men’s second clash, and the atmosphere isn’t great. The word going round is that the players have to be off court at 19.45, and there’s three singles games still in play. There are some fantastic rallies going on, and one in particular just drew some oooos and ahhhs from the viewing balcony, although unfortunately the Coventry player won the point on that occasion. Moments later, on the next court, what looks like a slightly dodgy ‘out’ call results in a chorus of boos from the watching Warwick crowd. It’s all good fun here.

19:10: Whilst we’re on the topic of tennis, don’t forget that Warwick TV will be screening live coverage of the men’s and women’s first matches tomorrow, starting at 12.30pm. RaW will also be covering a selection of events, whilst your trusty old Varsity clockwatch will be back for a third successive day of carnage, bringing you reports on all of the games as we get them, with a special focus on the men’s football matches (because that’s where I’ll be, cold probably).

19:04: It’s come over all tense down at the Tennis Centre by all accounts, where the men’s second fixture has to be completed by 20.00. How ridiculous is that?! I’m sorry nice tennis loving men and women who work there; you may want to spend your Saturday night with your families and loved ones but this is Varsity 2015, so suck it up and deal with it. Anyway I’ve been told that they’re not budging (how selfish) and we’re going to get a dramatic end to the match, the score currently stands at 2-2.

18:38: I’m not too sure what the “popped to the loo” comment really means, but who cares because that’s another two points to Warwick. We’re now leading the series 10-4 by my count, and to top things off the women’s second team top seed has won her singles match to complete a 10-2 victory over Coventry. We probably shouldn’t crack open the champagne just yet, but we can certainly have a quick dance to this number:

18:35: And the good news just keeps on coming! Over to Shingi:

The women have won! Women’s Captain Katie Davies wins to put Warwick 8-2 up. She triumphs with a 6-0, 6-0 wipeout, it felt like she’d “just popped to the loo” according to one club member. And to add to the atmosphere, the men’s second and third seeds have tied up the men’s second team match with a straight sets victory!

UNDEFEATED LEGENDS! Photo: @warwicksnooker

UNDEFEATED LEGENDS! Photo: @warwicksnooker

18:25: Warwick’s snooker team have won their Varsity match against Coventry! A big congratulations to them- they’ve added another two points to Team Warwick’s total. The 19-5 win, their biggest Varsity victory to date, also maintains their unbeaten record: they triumphed 11-4 in 2014, and 14-7 in 2013.

18:03: We’re underway in the men’s second tennis match now, with the Warwick women’s second team still looking to close out their tie. And if anyone is looking for a crash course in how to trash talk, look no further than Boar Sport deputy editor, Shingi Mararike:

I’ve coached 10 year olds with better technique than the Coventry ladies second team… (But credit to them for being mentally tough.)

17:50: Oh dear…

17:45: BALLS. Coventry have gotten onto the scoreboard and postponed the inevitable (?) by winning the tie-break 11-9 to make it 6-2 overall in the women’s second clash. Our reporter Shingi is still optimistic though, there are two singles matches left with the Warwick number one seed still to play. The men’s second fixture is about to begin very soon, and we’ll be bringing you updates throughout that match.

17:30: Big news from Shingi!

Warwick now lead the tie 6-0 they’ve won the 3rd seeds singles. The Number 2’s are currently in a shootout last set championship tie-break, if Warwick win this they’ve won the tie, as they will have gained an unassailable 8-0 lead.

17:15: You see, I am trying. And whilst we’re waiting…

17:10: We’re approaching the end of our coverage today, but Warwick and Coventry are still locking horns in two sports: snooker and tennis. I can’t for the life of me find out how the snooker game is progressing, but I’m working on it, so you can put those pitchforks down for now. As for the tennis, here’s our man Shingi with an update from the Tennis Centre:

The women’s singles are really close, Coventry are leading one of the matches, Warwick the other. If Warwick win one of these singles ties, they’ve won the women’s second’s tennis fixture. But it’s getting tense with both matches drawing to a close.

16:30: So, to summarize, we won the women’s futsal but lost the men’s, we somehow lost the women’s football despite being- by far- the better team, and we absolutely pulverized Coventry in the water polo, 18-1 (lol). And very shortly we’ll be hearing snooker and tennis updates.

15:40: And that’s it. Warwick have lost the women’s football Varsity match 1-0. They’ll be really gutted with the result as they were clearly the better side, but they didn’t take their chances and Coventry managed to scrape their way home. Agh this isn’t fair, Cov have pulled off a major smash and grab here.

15:32: This is getting silly- we’re still trailing by that one goal but we should really be four or five up. Skipper Naomi Wass just played an absolutely fantastic through ball with the outside of her weaker foot, which bisected the Cov defense and led to yet another one on one situation. And again the Coventry keeper held firm. We’re entering the final stages here and you can hear Wass trying to rally the team, Varsity honour really is here for the taking.

15:23: A Coventry student is running the line and he’s terrible, he just gave a blatant Warwick throw the wrong way. A clever Machiavellian ploy on Coventry’s behalf, or just a bit of an idiot? I think it’s the latter to be honest.

15:20: I have no idea how Warwick aren’t level. Coventry have barely had a sniff this half but their ‘keeper is having a good game and has just stopped three successive one on ones. Encouraging signs though and a Warwick goal can’t be very far away at this point.

15:00: The second half is underway and Warwick are looking bright, and are pushing for the equalizer. The reason I’m not blogging very much isn’t to do with a lack of action, it’s because it’s so cold I physically can’t type. But hey, I might not be able to feel my fingers or toes, yet I can feel hope in my little Warwick heart.

14:35: About half an hour in and Coventry have the lead from a rather fortunate rebound. It’s not been the most picturesque of halves- in truth it’s been about as attractive as Adrian Chiles wearing nothing but a loincloth whilst slowly eating a chocolate eclair- but it’s been intense and Warwick are unfortunate to be losing. Still early days, though.

14:25: Meanwhile, it’s all over in the Water Polo. Sam was in attendance, and watched as Warwick completely crushed Coventry  18-1. We’ll have some more feedback later, but he says it was a complete walkover and Warwick never had to leave cruise control. A good start to the day.

14:20: Oh, what a nightmare. I went to Cryfield and the game is actually at Westwood. I guess you could say I was in the wrong Place, hur hur hur. But no, I actually was. Anyway I’m here now and I’m reliably informed by Tim Arstall, head of RaW Sport, that it’s been a close, scrappy encounter. It’s still 0-0 and the teams are also having to contend with some difficult conditions, it’s blowing a hooleybanana as my old Mum would say.

14:15: More action in the water polo:

Warwick are comfortable and they’ve even started with a bit of showboating. However their latest attempt just failed miserably- a little spin and dink move was just simply caught by the rather bemused Cov ‘keeper. There’s also been a bit of a dispute on the Warwick bench: the subs have started barking team orders and the coach isn’t very happy.

14:00: Hearing that Warwick lost 5-3 to Coventry in the Futsal. Which is disappointing, but it was a close defeat, and is only a friendly, which means no Varsity points were actually at stake (so up yours Coventry is what I’m trying to say).

13:55: Sam:

It’s only the second quarter and yet it’s 10-1. I’m waiting for Cov to wave their white caps as a flag of surrender.

13:45: And I’m now off to The Place- if you’re aimless on campus then come along and cheer on Warwick. BRB! x

13:45: Update from Splashy Sam:

There’s lots of dunking heads in this game but nobody seems that arsed. And it looks like drowning is an acceptable tactical foul. Anyway, Warwick end the first quarter 6-0 up. Coventry’s coach is going her best on the sidelines to influence things but is failing miserably.

13:43: Cor, typing that out has got me all excited. Altogether now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T1pXsJp_go

13:40: There’s now less than 20 minutes to go until the women’s first football fixture kicks off, which is probably the biggest game on this second day of Varsity 2015. A quick bit of history- Warwick haven’t won a Varsity game against Coventry since 2008, losing four out of the last five games. Last year’s match was a close encounter though, with Coventry edging it 1-0. The two teams play in the same league and only points separate them in the table (with Coventry on 8 to Warwick’s 4), and the last time the sides met, in BUCS competition in December, they drew 2-2. So this really could go either way. Stay with us for updates.

13:30: Developments in the water polo! Over to Sam for an update:

The game has begun and we’re 1-0 up. There’s lots of slapping and splashing going on. I suppose that’s unsurprising. The testosterone flying about in a room with so many pairs of Speedos is huge.

13:20: Right, here’s some updates from our pitch side reporters. Sam Nugent is at the Water Polo, and has messaged in that the two teams are still warming up, so there’s a slightly delayed start to that event. Meanwhile, Shingi Mararike has this to say on the tennis:

The tennis is a bit of a mess here at the moment, the teams have been moved from indoors to outdoors and no one seems to know what’s happening.

13:15: Smart isn’t really the word I’d go for Coventry Varsity tweeter, they look more like a couple of heavies to be honest. Although at least if the snooker/university thing doesn’t work out, there’s the prospect of a job working the door at Kasbah. Every cloud and all that.

13:10: There’s already one result to inform you of, and it’s a good ‘un. Our women’s futsal team did us all proud this morning, beating Coventry 8-3. Congratulations girls! That definitely  bodes well for this afternoon’s football. The men’s futsal has now kicked off and I’m informed Coventry are currently leading Warwick 1-0. We’ll be bringing you updates on that one as we get them.

13:05: Time for business. And today promises more exciting action than a Rambo v Terminator crossover film. We’re underway in the snooker and the men’s first water polo, as well as in the women’s second tennis fixture: all those games started at 13.00 and we’re going to be bringing you LIVE updates from all of them. Don’t say we aren’t good to you like that. I’m then going to be blogging the women’s first football fixture from 14:00, before the men’s second tennis clash starts, at 16:00.

13:01: Incidentally, should you wish to catch up on the thrilling basketball action from yesterday- check out our hilarious and comprehensive day one clockwatch!

13:00: Sequels are great, aren’t they? The Empire Strikes Back was far superior to A New Hope. The New Testament has far more drama than that boring Old one. And the Spy Kids film that was shot in 3D blew my mind in ways the first film could only dream of. Now, add the Varsity Clockwatch Day Two to that list- because we’re going to be blowing yesterdays shameful and paltry little effort out of the water. Let’s do this.

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