British Youth Water Polo Champions 2007-07-05

Carlisle Water Polo players-

Robert Powley

Daniel Barker

Mathew Little

Steven Swinglehurst

Jamie Warwick

James Magill

 

Joined with Lancaster City Water Polo players to play in this years British Youth Water Polo Championships (as Lancaster).

 

After two earlier rounds the boys progressed comfortably to the semi finals at Manchester Aquatic Centre on 30^th June.

The game turned out to one of the most thrilling water polo games witnessed at Manchester Aquatics in recent years. With Lancaster trailing11-6 after 2 quarters due to some excellent defending from Manchester. Going into the last 2 quarters would prove to be an uphill struggle to over turn the score.

After some encouragement and discussions with the caches Ron Winn and Dave Barker the team set about the challenge of trying to salvage something to progress into the final.

With only 1 minute left Lancaster by only one goal 12-11, after some fantastic play and effort from the 7 players in the water Lancaster scored an equaliser taking the game into extra time (12-12).

Again in the extra time Lancaster trailed on 2 occasions equalising both times the final goal coming in the dying seconds of extra time.

This took the game into penalties, discussions took place with the whole team to decide the 5 penalty takers.

By this time the crowd had swelled on the balcony as all other games in the adjoining pool had been postponed so that everyone could soak up the atmosphere and cheer on the respective players through this very nerve racking penalty shootout experience.

Penalties then progressed with Lancaster’s second penalty being saved by the Manchester goalkeeper, Lancaster’s goalkeeper then saving a penalty from Manchester to pull the scores even once again. Taking the game to the final penalty shot from each team. Lancaster scored theirs heaping all the pressure onto the Manchester player who eventually missed giving Lancaster a very narrow victory of 18-17 after penalties, progressing them to the final on 1/7/07.

The final was contested between Lancaster and Bristol. This game turned out to be a damp squid in comparison to the semi final with Lancaster taking an early lead and building on this throughout the game. The final score Lancaster 19-6 Bristol, proved to be more relaxing for the boys. For most of the team this meant lifting the trophy for the second year running.

 

Team

Marc Robinson  

Steven Swinglehurst

Mathew Little

Brett Sharp

Daniel Barker

Robert Powley

Ciaran James

James Magill

Jamie Warwick

Mathew Quirk

Jonathon Gatehouse

Michael Brown

Declan Ellwood