TENDRING Volleyball Club have marched into the National Shield semi-finals.

And with lower-division opposition up next, the Frinton side have their sights firmly fixed on silverware success.

They face a trip to York in the semi-finals, before a potential final against either rivals Essex Blaze or last year’s winners, Horndean.

However, while excited by the prospect and confident about his team’s chances, Tendring chairman and stalwart Alex Porter is taking nothing for granted ahead of their last-four tussle on February 28.

“York away will be a very tricky match for us,” he said.

“It’s a long way to go and they’re not a team I know much about, so it’s a step into the unknown.

“As a (National League) division three north side, they’ve done very well to get this far and we certainly won’t be taking them lightly.

“You get upsets and I remember when we were a division three side, a few years ago, we beat Super 8s sides en route to reaching the National Cup semi-finals.

“We’ve got a few weeks to get some information, but you don’t have to be registered to a club to play for them in the National Shield.

“So even if we do our homework, there’s nothing to say we won’t turn up and get a surprise or two.”

Tendring, who won the Shield in 2012, booked their place in the semi-finals after a 3-1 victory against the Manchester Marvels.

They prevailed 25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 29-27 in Saturday’s contest at Tendring Technology College, in Frinton.

“Performance-wise, it was another improvement,” said Porter, who also confirmed that the club’s upcoming National League derby at home to Essex Blaze has been switched from February 23 to February 24, at Essex University Sports Centre (first serve 8pm).

“We’re getting better and better, week after week.

“Manchester were good opposition – better than we anticipated – and it was a closer contest than the score suggests.

“It certainly wasn’t a walk in the park.

“They pushed us and that was a good thing, because it made us up our game.

“We knew that if we eased up, they’d really put the pressure on.”

Neither the club’s men’s or women’s teams have fixtures this weekend.

However, some of the club’s younger players will be aiming for medals when they represent Essex University at the Student Cup finals.

James Baker, Mitchell Lawrence and Jack Bruce, along with women’s trio Kearby Benak, Marta Campi and Millie Stamp, will be representing Essex University at the University of East London.

The teams have already qualified for the final 16 and the Essex sides are coached by Porter.