Poly Finish 2nd in Division 1

Polytechnic travelled to Lancaster for the final weekend of games before the table split. We were in 6th position, on the borderland between Super 5s and relegation battle. At the start of the season the team had set a primary goal or making the Super 5s, with a promising team filled with ability and pedigree, but as yet showing signs of genuine ability, without the results to show for it. Failing to put Solihull to the sword whilst leading for the majority of the game, allowing Lancaster too much attacking play and gifting Caledonia their only win of the season was juxtaposed against a muscular display against champions Cheltenham and the promise that Poly could dominate against tough opposition. Two wins was a must for Super 5 status, but three wins would send a message.

Invicta 8 - 13 Polytechnic

Invicta occupied 7th place in the table going into the weekend, one place and one point behind Poly; losing this game would make the rest of the weekend an uphill battle and Poly were aware that despite being below us in the league, Invicta had shown their ability with a win over Manchester, a draw with Sheffield and narrow loses to Cheltenham and Solihull.  It was clear that they were no walkover.  Missing their talisman Sean King, there was a sense that they were vulnerable, but Poly could afford to give no quarter in such a high-stakes game.  Tactically, Poly elected to start with a press defence, with Jorge Garijo and Joan Secanell playing with focus and skill at centre-back and the Poly attack setting up to play with a passer/driver on 2 and a second centre-forward from the wings.  Poly shipped two counterattack goals with a slow start following a long travel, but pulled the game back to 2-2 with goals from Chris Brown and the returning Lyndon Cranley who has struggled with injury in the build up to the season, but shown some fine form since returning to action.  Campbell “Bambi” Gregory took Poly into the lead with some explosive centre-forward play; not to be outdone by his junior countryman, captain Chris Icely followed suit.  Invicta continued to battle, restoring parity with some long-range shooting, despite Poly identifying this as a key area to shut down in the pre-match team talk.  Jeremy Johnson took Poly back into the lead with an assist from Giacomo Cupido, who then added a goal of his own moments later.  Invicta tried to fight back once again, but once Poly moved to a drop, with a high press from position three shuttling between the Invicta two and three positions, Poly started to pile on the pressure, with 6 unanswered goals from Peter Benedek, Chris Brown, Giacomo Cupido, Luke Jones and Joan Secanell.

Overall, this was a very solid performance, with a comfortable margin; Poly started slowly, taking some time to get their heads clear in the first quarter and suffering from a failure to follow the pre-match tactic of shutting down their key shooters with discipline.  Nonetheless, this was a platform on which to build.

Manchester 7 – 8 Polytechnic

Manchester were also to play their match against the Poly without one of their key players, but remained strong opposition and the Poly knew that this was likely to go the distance.  Having had particular success with the drop in game 1, Poly elected to play a similar defensive tactic and once again set up with multiple attacking threats from both centre-forward positions and shooters off the arc.  The game was tempestuous, with questionable refereeing decisions creating a chaotic affair that stifled what may have been a decent game of waterpolo.  Attacking exclusions from centre-forward, innocuous kick-outs from the centre of the pool, a case of mistaken identity leading to Federico Carucci being incorrectly labelled with an additional exclusion and unfairly wrapped as a result meant that this game was as hard to watch as it was to play.  In defence Poly looked comfortable for the most part, with limited threats from centre-forward, forcing low-percentage shooting from distance.  The Poly’s defensive discipline was their strongest asset and a critical aspect of this game; a wildly lopsided count of 13 majors to Manchesters’ modest 6 effectively created 3 or 4 extra goals for Poly’s opponents and it is testament to the fighting spirit and quality within the team that Poly managed not only to remain relatively calm, but force a victory in a match that could have easily run away from us.  The attacking display was understandably erratic, but goals from Giacomo Cupido, the South African triumvirate of Chris Brown, Chris Icely and Campbell Gregory, fellow southern hemisphere harrier Lyndon Cranley and a gloriously disguised shot out of the hand from Gareth Keen ultimately gave Poly victory.

Sheffield 6 – 12 Polytechnic

Furious calculations were being made from the moment Poly took victory number two and looked almost certain to qualify for Super 5s.  Almost.  Based on calculations radioed in by Simon Gardner-Bond, 25 results would put Poly through without further points required, but two permutations could still put Poly out of the Super 5s.  With two victories secured, Poly were not about to start hoping for results to do the work for us and focused on taking a third scalp to cap a fine weekend.  Sheffield play off two key players, with limited but effective attacking options if not correctly martialled. Confidence was flowing through the Poly by now and this was a dominant display.  A tight press with front marking in centre-back and high work rate overall in defence severely blunted the Sheffield attack.  At the other end of the pool, Sheffield were unable to deal with the range of attacking threats posed by the Poly, who took an early 3-0 lead following goals from Chris Brown, Campbell Gregory and Giacomo Cupido, a margin that would never be recovered for the rest of the match.  Focused defence, excellent man-up play and confident shooting meant that Poly started to rain down goals, with Chris Brown and Giacomo Cupido having a personal scoring contest ending in four goals apiece, with Giacomo Cupido just managing take ownership of Poly goal of the season from Gareth Keen (for now).  Jorge Garijo capped an outstanding defensive performance at centre-back with the final goal of the game, ripping a long-range effort over the goalkeeper’s shoulder; such was the Poly’s defensive presence, that they gave away only 3 majors in the entire match.

This weekend was an opportunity for Poly to fulfil the pre-season goal of making Super 5s; what they managed to do was lay down a serious marker of intent and signal to the other teams in the division that we mean business and can seriously challenge for honours this season.  There remain, as ever, points for improvement, but if this team brings the level of focus and discipline shown in the matches played this weekend, then there should be reason why we cannot put ourselves right in the mix.  A merry Christmas to all and a banging new year.

BWPL Match Reports: Week 1, Sheffield

Weekend 1, Championship 1.  Polytechnic has the weight of history behind it; the oldest waterpolo club in history, the most successful waterpolo club in Britain and never out of Division 1 until a few seasons ago, it is fair to say things have been tough for the Poly in recent years.  Several seasons in Division 2, one difficult season back in the premier competition and a time of flux, with old players retiring and financial strain taking it´s toll, the Poly faces it´s biggest challenge in many a year.  Having finally climbed back into Division 1 and the off-field status of the club as healthy as it has been in years, the hard work has just begun.  Preparation for this season has been the most intense and focused in recent memory, with an extra session a week on Thursdays at the Olympic Park, Alberto Lotti flying over from Italy to run an intensive training week of 5 concurrent sessions and Poly´s first ever playbook. Finally, the season is here and this weekend was the first chance to see if the wealth of recent talent influx into the team, combined with the efforts of training have created a team that is serious about competing at this level once more.

Caledonia 11 – 10 Polytechnic

Caledonia were a super 5s team last season; whilst they don´t have specific threats that pose a significant challenge, they are a fit, cohesive and well drilled team that clearly have the ability to punish teams.  Coach Gary Simons had done his research and identified the defensive drop from position 2 that Caledonia would subsequently play and Poly set up to use the free attacking player as a passing position, with a rotating drive on the left creating space for the cross pass from position 2 to position 4 followed by a first time shot.  Additionally, a second centre-forward turning in from position 5 could provide a second threat from the strong side.  Poly started well, with Campbell “Bambi” Gregory scoring the first from 2m on his debut, followed by captain Chris Icely doubling the lead with a nice cross cage off the pass.  Defensively, Poly´s tight press and front marking of the centre-forward was proving effective, with resident tinder expert Joan Secanell transferring those skills into a cloying defensive posture at centre-back.  With limited options in attack, Caledonia did not post a goal on the scoreboard until 5 mins into the first quarter.  Despite a promising start, Poly failed to take control of the game and started closing the space in front of the drop before trying to feed the now overcrowded centre-forwards.  Poly had no answer to four goals in succession from Caledonia and found themselves 2-4 down towards the end of quarter 2.  Poly were now struggling to assert themselves in attack, either becoming static or failing to test the keeper from the arc.  South African International Chris Brown found range twice before the end of the quarter to bring parity at 4-4, but Poly were not looking dangerous offensively.

Poly found themselves surprisingly 2 goals down once again at the start of quarter 3; surprising because Caledonia remained predictable in attack and for the most part, Poly defended well.  At times the centre-back was caught too high, trying to front mark with the centre-forward on 5m; some fortunate rebounds later and Poly were again chasing the game.  Joan Secanell pulled one back as one of the few players to take the shot on from position 2 when inside 6m, followed by captain Chris Icely and a bullish effort in centre-forward by Jeremy Johnson, rolling the ball over the line by sheer force of will.  In the words of Federico Carruci, “it was not pretty”, even drawing a giggle out of Chris Brown.  But goals are goals and Poly closed quarter 3 a goal ahead as a result.  Unfortunately quarter 4 began to turn in Caledonia’s favor; a goal apiece from Chris and Chris aka Ice Brown and a debut goal for new Italian Giacomo Cupido, or is it Canelloni, or Carbonara?  Whatever, it wasn’t enough.  The outstanding statistic from the match was Polytechnic 8 exclusions, Caledonia 3.  Over the course of a match that statistic alone speaks volumes and ultimately was responsible for this agonizingly narrow defeat.  Still, much to be encouraged by and much more to play for.

Cheltenham 10 – 13 Polytechnic

Cheltenham were missing one or two important players and having lost their first game, this was a good weekend to play them.  They are however the defending champions and no game is going to be easy in this league.  Poly were impressive overall in this game and posed multiple threats from across the pool.  Centre-forward, second centre-forward and arc were all dangerous and goals came from all areas.  Poly conceded the first goal, but this was the only time they were behind for the entire match.  Chris Icely restored parity, shortly followed by Chris Brown, who showed an intense interest in shining the left hand upright for the rest of the match and his game was remarkable for the fact that he only managed to leave the pool with one goal, which was half his number of kick-outs (remember who your Daddy is Chris).  Hungarian hero Peter Benedek (no relation) ripped in the first of his brace and marked yet another debut national league goal before the end of quarter 1 and from here Poly took control of the game.  Never behind again and stretching into a four goal lead, Poly were far more active, driving through the Cheltenham drop, setting up two centre-forwards and converting from extra-man.  Poly kept the pressure on.  It was also reassuring that Poly won the defensive contest this game, with 9 exclusions to Cheltenham’s 10.

Cheltenham are not champions for nothing and they clawed the deficit back to two goals, but the game was kept beyond their reach throughout with the Italian contingent raining in goals late on.  First a delicious cross pass and first time scorcher from Michele Pappardelle, followed by a screamer from Federico Lasagna.  Not to be outdone and keen to build on his three minutes from game 1, Lorenzo Calzone chucked one in at the death to seal a strong victory for the Poly.  An assured display, not without errors, but with increased game fitness and a little more cut-throat finishing, this game could have been put away even more emphatically.  As coach Gary Simons commented at the end of the game, it is hard to recall a time in many a year since Poly showed such attacking prowess.  There are many things to iron out, but overall, this was an encouraging first weekend back in Division 1 and one thing is certainly clear.  Poly did not look out of place.

- JEREMY JOHNSON

Poly Masters at the World Championships in Budapest

Not since the year 2000 in München have The Poly paraded themselves in the FINA World Masters stage, but this summer in the spiritual home of our sport ( no, not The City University pool) on Margaret Island in Budapest we re-entered the world stage. 

A collection of "has beens, never weres, could have beens and a Penguin stalwart" gathered themselves under the motto – “the older we get the better we were”. The Poly 50+ assembled and did the introductions not as tradition would have it, in the bar the night before, but on a dark and rainy poolside a few hours before our opening morning match against the Sunday Boys from Hungary, in the pool where a few weeks prior had seen the World Championship Finals between Hungary and Croatia played out. 

Despite coach Hallwood setting out a cunning matrix based plan, we quickly went 2 down before we'd even had a chance to shout at each other! However, things quickly turned round and we found ourselves 2 goals up with 2 minutes to play - enter stage left Poly legend Kevin Rhino Roberts to discuss tactics, and also enter to replace the two good and even referees with two ridiculously moustachioed Hungarian supporting referees - we salvaged a creditable 8-8 draw. 

The following group games saw defeat to São Paulo and a victory over Scottstown for USA to qualify us for the quarter- final playoffs. For once the draw was favourable and we lined up against the Argentinian team Pampas, a few conflict of interest for our Argentinian Penguin we pondered - not a bit of it!!! In the original indoor Alfred Hojas pool we hit top gear 5-0 in first period - game over!!! We played it our for a comfortable 10-4 victory to qualify for the top 8. 

A well earned celebration of the rooftop bar of Budapest with Poly players and friends from across the world ensued - Steve (beaker) Robinson and son Keith; Michael Hopkins (hoppy), Robbie Cullinhame, Leigh Farnell and Ray Powers from City Beach in Perth; Jogi and Wee Stevie from Germany; Rick Ambridge from Olympic Club, along with late arrival, the king of gimps, Pim Hendrix from City Beach - all joining the fun. 

In qualifying from the top 8 there was frantic rearrangement of flights, with some unbelievers not expecting to be playing at the finals weekend. However, coach hallwood was unable to hang around, so we went into our biggest challenge against the reigning +45 world champions from 2 years previous, the Happy Hippos, essentially the Hungarian team from the mid 1990s - unfortunately we could not make them unhappy, a well fought game but they were stronger than us and had the last laugh, we went down 7-2. 

Our next challenge brought us up against another Poly player of the past Luís Guilherme Prates and his team from Rio, another well contested game - but again our fire power was lacking and we went down by 2. 

Our final contest provided the opportunity to avenge the earlier defeat by São Paulo, another cracking game supported by McCartney and Hagemann proving the commentary on the live web stream. But again we came up short, going down by 1. So a highly creditable 8th out of the 16 teams in the 50+ event, and finishing well above City Beach. 

The event itself was one of the best organised and presented any of us have ever attended, it was all about water polo - proper presentation of the game, Olympic size game boards, 6 pitches in the 6 pools in the complex - and a cracking positive atmosphere throughout. 

The Poly team: 
Paul Annegarn, John Clark, RobEastman, Gary Simons, Keith Jones, Miguel Ortiz, Alan Anderson. Mark Williams, Andy Pring, Rob Stamp, Alan Shepherd, Alan Runcie, Phil Hallwood – and thanks to those who came along and supported as well.

So we're back in the map, with offers galore for further competition, for those interested in pulling teams together

2018
Spanish Masters, Lanzarote  – 19-21 April
Jogi Tournament - Gronau / Munster – 17- 19 August
European Masters - Kranj, Slovenia http://www.emc2018.com/ 26 – 31 August

2019
World masters - Gwangju, South Korea

- Alan Anderson, Masters Team Big Toe

Pre-Season Training Steps Up a Notch

Training and preparation for the coming British Water Polo League (formerly National League) are in full swing. The men’s squad currently has two main water polo sessions per week: Tuesday 7.30 - 9.30pm at The London Aquatic Centre in Stratford; and Wednesday 8 - 10pm at Clissold in Stoke Newington. Additional swim sessions are undertaken by players to crank out the yards in the pool.

Last week Alberto Bertolotti, a long standing friend of Poly and top Italian Coach, arrived in London for one week to oversee and direct training. Alberto hails from Italian 1st Division club Savona who finished 6th last season. Aside from coaching Savona he has also coached the Italian National Youth team. The objectives were for him to prioritise specific areas to work on in their preparation for the start of the BWPL season.

It was a busy week and comprised of 5 training sessions:

Tuesday 18th July, 7.30 - 9.30pm at LAC
Wednesday 19th July, 8 - 10pm at Clissold
Thursday 20th July, 8.30 - 10pm at LAC
Friday 21st July, 7.30 - 9.30pm at LAC
Saturday 22nd July, 5 - 7pm at Clissold

Those that have worked with Alberto know and appreciate his fine attention to detail and building capability by breaking down the components of the game into the pieces of skill and strength that add up to enable high level of execution.

Areas of the game that were specifically focused on were:

• Swim conditioning drills for both aerobic and anaerobic phases of the game;

• Defensive techniques and drills specifically for blocking and pressing;

• Centre forward specific coaching;

Following the final training session on Saturday some tired bodies retired to the Rose and Crown, Poly’s current local, for rehydration, before heading for a Turkish feast in one of the fine Turkish dining establishments that north east London has to offer.

- Reddick

Poly Promoted to Division 1

Sore heads and weary bodies aplenty this morning, after a successful final weekend in the BWPL for the Poly.

The team went into the weekend knowing that their destiny was in their hands, and that two wins would be enough to see them return to the premier of British Water Polo.

On Saturday, Poly came up against City of Bristol, who have had a tough season, having missed out on the Super 5s for the first time in a number of years. Their last chance of promotion back into Division 1 rested on winning this game, and they brought a strong squad down to Watford with them. Poly knew they had to win as well, and this led to an action packed game. 

Despite wasting numerous chances, Poly played some good polo and looked strong, and went into the second-half of the game with a deserved 8-5 lead. However, the game took a twist in the third quarter when Bristol had a played excluded for a brutality, which meant they had to play for 4 minutes with a man down. That should have been that, but the team became complacent, and when the four minutes were up and Bristol restored to a full compliment, they started a comeback. 12-5 suddenly became 12-9, and with 5 minutes to go Bristol looked like they had the momentum behind them. A Poly goal changed that, and was enough to see out the game and the much-needed victory.

Bristol 10 - 13 Poly
GOALS: Chris I (4), Sergio (3), Andre (3), Fede, Lyndon, Luke (1)

Results elsewhere went as expected, with Sheffield and Invicta taking two of the three promotion positions. The final promotion spot would go to the winner of the final game of the season, between Poly and Sutton and Cheam. The game started very nervy, as to be expected with promotion at stake. Bizarrely, 2 players from each team were wrapped within the 1st quarter, further exacerbating an already intense game. The depleted teams admirably kept their heads, and an exciting, if not very tense, game ensued. A mixture of Poly wastefulness and an on-form Sutton goalkeeper saw chance after chance missed, and Sutton took advantage of this and shot into a 5-2 lead midway through the third-quarter. However, as we've seen time and time again this season, this Poly team doesn't know when it's beaten. Two quick goals from Captain Chris, and an equaliser from Luke took the wind out of Sutton's sails, and it was all square going into the final quarter. A very tense final quarter saw both teams struggle to convert chances, and Matteo was in top form as he thwarted a number of Sutton attempts. Then, with 4 minutes of the season left, the game took a dramatic twist, as Lynn/Lyndon scored a delightful lob, putting Poly into the lead for the first time since the first quarter, and the fightback was complete. A few scares, and some fantastic defending saw the game out, and Poly were back in Division 1.

Sutton and Cheam 5 - 6 the Poly
GOALS: Chris I (2), Brian, Fede, Luke, Lyndon (1)

A fantastic season overall, and a deserved promotion. The team are in a fantastic position to push on next year, and maintain a first division place. Credit goes to the great effort from all the players, to the great support from Gary, Rambo, Birdy, and especially Reddick, and above all to the unbelievable work from Chris Icely, who has gone above and beyond to get the team into this position. We all look forward to celebrating with you at the dinner on the 24th March. See you then. 

Mixed bag to start of Champ 1

Invicta 11 - 3 Polytechnic

Frustrating. We'd had a good few weeks of training prior to this weekend, and were only missing the two South African Chrises from an otherwise strong squad; coupled with the fact scoring in the first phase had come fairly easily and was spread throughout the team, this was a result, and moreover a performance, that we didn't see coming.

Invicta travelled to Lancaster with only 7, albeit strong, players, and as such had a clear strategy to slow the game down. Initially Poly managed to deal with this tactic, and with 2 minutes of the second quarter remaining went into a 3-2 lead. However, from then until the final whistle the team failed to find the back of the net, and conceded another 9 goals in the same time. The team lacked the gumption that had served them so well in games in the first phase, and suffered with as heavy a defeat as they have had in recent seasons.

After a solemn post-game discussion between the team, we resolved to put it down as a blip, and to use the result as a wake up call. We concluded that the best way to prove to ourselves that this was simply an anomaly was to perform strongly the following day.

Team Northumbria 8 - 11 Polytechnic

Buoyed by the return of Captain Chris, who had admirably made the early morning drive up North after missing Saturday's game because of his sister's wedding, the team were biting at the bit to get in the pool and prove their point. On Saturday, Team Northumbria had taken a Division 1 scalp by beating Bristol, and were full of confidence. The scene was set for an exciting game.

We've concentrated hard on our defence this year, and when it all comes together it's tough for any team to breach us. In the first two quarters it did all come together, and the only goals conceded were from two very contentious penalties - both conceded in the corner with the player swimming away from goal - and a third from a man-down. What was more encouraging was that the team rediscovered their virility in attack, and were finding the net from all positions. However, as we pulled into a 7-3 lead the team were guilty of either nerves or complacency, and let a commanding performance slip into a shoddy mess. Some of the previous day's passing and shooting reared their ugly heads, and it led to a very frantic third quarter in which the teams shared just 2 goals between them. 

Rattled and knocked out of their rhythm, the Poly suddenly found themselves pegged back to within a goal mid-way through the fourth quarter, and the previously water-tight defence was leaking heavily. Thankfully, the gumption and fight that had been so evident throughout the first phase, returned in the nick of time. The team composed themselves and scored a couple of goals to no reply to see out the game for a victory which was very well deserved, and needed.

Given results elsewhere from the weekend, and the manner in which the team came back and learned from Saturday's disappointing performance, we're still in a very strong position. The next weekend, in Watford on 14/15 January, will be pivotal. We play both Penguin (13:00) and Sheffield (16:45) on the Saturday, and would really appreciate any support. Have a great festive period, and hopefully see you in the New Year.

- Luke

Poly Men Qualify for Championship 1

After a bit of a set back in weekend 2 at Watford, the team knew they still had work to do in weekend 3 - the scenario being having to pick up at least one point from the two games in Swansea to be assured of qualification into Championship 1. Not as easy a feat as it seemed, given a team missing a few regulars, our Saturday game being against the undefeated Team Northumbria, and Poly's recent history of making life extremely difficult for themselves.

Poly 12 - 4 Team Northumbria
Both teams had endured a long journey to get to Swansea, which explained a rather lethargic first quarter which ended 1-0 to the Poly. We had highlighted the importance of not letting opponents score in the first quarter - sluggish starts being one of very few criticisms of the team this season - and this gave us a good platform to produce a great team performance. With our defence proving very difficult to penetrate for the previously free-scoring Team Northumbria, we pushed ahead our advantage through smart goals from Sergio Schiaffino, Fede Carucci, Captain Chris and Joan Seca. Poly continued to be rampant in front of goal, and stingy at the back, and our very own social media czar, Lyndon Cranley, seized the moment to shine via a mesmerising mixture of sharp-shooting and pirouettes, to score 4 goals. The twittersphere erupted. Not to be outdone, Sergio Schiaffino bravely overcame a particularly nasty bout of "posterior vascular inflammation" (note: Anusol is a confirmed TUE), to notch a further 4 goals to his name. The feisty Italian can't seem to stop scoring at the moment...............

Poly 9 - 12 Exeter
The previously day's victory had ensured our progress to Championship 1, and we had thereby taken the opportunity to indulge in what Swansea had to offer on Saturday evening. Exeter had to win this game for any slim chance of qualifying for the next round, and so were not going to hand us the easy game our booze-sodden brains desired. A long warm-up ensured we weren't as fuzzy as we may have been, and we began the game in the same vein as the previous day - only allowing one lucky deflected lob to squeeze in to the net. However, it came at a cost, with Sergio suffering a bad cut on his eye after a wild, albeit accidental, arm caught him in the face. Coupled with our depleted squad, it meant we only had 3 subs left on the bench - not an ideal situation when the previous night's exuberance had already taken it's toll on the team. That said, Exeter were playing for their polo-lives, and produced some fantastic polo to score 5 goals in the second quarter. Our previous day's M-Zone defence was being undone by some great shooting from the top, and so in the 3rd quarter we switched to a press, with instant results. We began to catch them on the break, but whilst Exeter were pinging their shots in off the cross bar and posts, ours were flying back out at us. The spirit in the team ensured we came back from 10-4 to 11-9, and we could have easily pulled off an unlikely victory; but the polo Gods were on Exeter's side, and another wasted opportunity from the Poly resulted in a very fortunate break and goal, which put the result, and the boys, to bed.

- Luke Jones

BWPL Weekend 1 - Sheffield, 8/9 October

Polytechnic welcomed the first weekend of the 2016/2017 BWPL season with quiet optimism.  Pre-season training has been committed and focused, with captain Chris Icely directing a thoughtful programme combining raw fitness with tactical development.  Regular friendly matches, including a blistering weekend in Leiden with upstanding performances both on and off the pitch, individual performances have been directed at enhancing team performance.  Added to this, Poly have made an effort to add grit to our performances, knowing that there are times on a cold night away, that getting the job done with a scrappy performance in suboptimal conditions is what champions are made of (something this author has first hand experience of).  Time to put this to the test.

Polytechnic 10 - 6 Worthing

Worthing are an awkward opponent; without clear threats in attack, they have an accomplished goalkeeper and play a conservative defence, with multiple drops off the arc in an attempt to stifle centre-forward and encourage shots from the perimeter.  This tactic did not represent a surprise, given Worthing are essentially the same team as last year, where they employed a similar defensive set-up.  The Poly plan was clear - drive through the drop, create space at second centre-forward and exploit the individual weakness of the players to draw exclusions or create goals.  The problem was, Poly reached 3.30 minutes of quarter 1 before the first drive was deployed.  Needless to say Poly were ineffective in attack, peppering the goal with tame shooting, without posing any real threats.  At the other end, Poly started with a press defence, having worked on transition from press to M-zone for much of the pre-season.  The press was a touch off the pace of the game, with Joan Seca gaining the dubious accolade of giving away a penalty 14 seconds into the match.  Not to be outdone, the South African power pair of Chris and Chris (Brown and Icely) quickly threw in an exclusion each, before Brain Hoy arrived late to the party box (a first in this author’s memory), with yet another exclusion.  This was still not enough, so goalkeeper Matteo Gaspari gracefully slotted the ball into his own net using his face.  Job done.  By the second minute of Q2 Poly were 0 - 5 down.  In times past this would have signalled the end of the game, with Poly turning inside themselves and giving up the fight, but it speaks volumes that this time things were different.  A shift into an M-zone defence, drives in attack and some reshuffling on the arc brought three goals from captain Chris Icely and a further from debutant Chris Brown.  Suddenly Poly were in touching distance at 4 - 5.  Defence was now on lockdown, with Worthing scoring only once more in the second two quarters of the match.  Joan Seca repaid the debt of his previous defensive lapse with a fine goal from the perimeter, whilst Ice-Brown (I did that Brian because I have lyrical skillz) kept the scoreboard ticking over to close the game out relatively comfortably 10 - 6.

Polytechnic 11 - 9 Welsh Wanderers

This was the first game on Sunday and Poly were determined not to repeat the anaemic start of the Worthing game.  A good, long warm-up with a brief recap of match tac-tics - press into m-zone defence, tight on Dan Laxton (Wales’ most dangerous player) and drive to create space at second centre-forward.  This was a tight match from the start; Luke Jones slotted home a tight flick with handy wrist action following neat interplay with Jeremy Johnson, whilst Ice-Brown bagged a brace.  With both teams trading blows for parity at 3 - 3 by the end of Q1. In Q2 Poly began to take control of the match, with newcomer Lyndon Cranley opening his Poly account, with deposits from Ice-Brown causing bookmakers all over the country slash the odds on a Poly victory.  Half way through Q3 and Poly were 9 - 4 to the good after another Poly debutant Jorge Fariou ripped a scorcher over the keepers head.  Unfortunately standards began to slide, Poly allowing the Welsh glimmers of hope, conceding three goals needlessly from 5m to create a tense final quarter.  Poly would only score once in Q4, a blistering effort from Luke Jones, again employing swift hands to push the ball off the water in a rapid breakaway goal from his own half.  Rumours are that our ex-captain has rediscovered the use of his hands and wrists following recent changes in personal circumstances (this is unverified and requires fact-checking).  Nonetheless, Poly closed out the win with cool heads in the face of a Trump style final minute from Laxton, parried by our Kenyan author in the style of his countryman Mr Obama.  #micdrop.

Poly remain unpolished, but the first weekend was truly successful, with the greatest regrets being the failure of M&S to remove hair from their sandwich packets, some wayward gambling on female waterpolo and the image of a certain player’s (absent this weekend) haemorrhoids burned indelibly into the team consciousness.  Just don’t ask.

- Jeremy Johnson

Men's Team Tour to the Netherlands

The men's team visited the Netherlands as part of their final pre-season' preparations. A strong Poly team visited Leiden and Katwijk, and played three games against LZ 1886, a De Zijl U17 team, and Poloclub Katwijk, notching up three comfortable wins in the process. 

The team are now looking forward to the start of their BWPL campaign this weekend in Sheffield.

Len Hatton OBE (1929-2016)

It is with much sadness that I report the passing of our club president and great friend and benefactor Len Hatton. Len died last Wednesday 20th July at his home in Monaco following a stroke a few days earlier, Len was 87

I first met Len in 1971, a few days earlier  Len had had a business meeting with my friend Don Newbold and had mentioned that he was looking to put money into British sport and asked for any suggestions.  Len had studied surveying at the Poly and as a former half miler had run for the Polytechnic Harriers and the Amateur Athletic Association.

At this time the club had travelled to Sofia in 1970 to compete in the European club championships and having qualified again in 71 we were hoping to stage a preliminary round in Crystal Palace. Don suggested that charity begins at home and perhaps he could support the Poly Water Polo team

I met with Len a few days later and he kindly agreed that we should go ahead and that he would underwrite any loss. In the event thanks to extensive advertising we filled Crystal Palace on all three days and actually made a profit despite having to pay for bath hire,the visiting teams and officials accommodation plus the officials air fairs.This so impressed Len that agreed to support us in the future and shortly after accepted the post of club president

With Lens backing we then had the confidence to again stage preliminary rounds in 73 and 76 together with the televised Aquafresh Trophy tournament in 74 to celebrate the clubs centenary when again we were able to bring 4 leading european club sides to London

Over the years that followed Len poured a vast amount of money into the club and it was this support that helped bring about the teams unprecedented success over the next thirty years. And of course Lens support was not only financial, he attended all our tournaments at Crystal Palace and would always lay on parties for our visiting teams and officials. He would also often turn up to support abroad one particular night in Barcelona being legendary.

Len was a wonderful man of sport, he gave huge support to very many sports and Olympians, he sponsored the Hatton Mile  for which the word top milers competed, he was the A.A.A. surveyor and chairman of "Sport England" for many years.

Lens funeral will take place on Tuesday 26 July in Monaco with a Memorial Service in this country later in the year.

Our thoughts are with Lens wife Carole and children Micheal and Nicole

- Neil May

Championship 1, weekend 2: Lancaster

The first weekend of the new year was both treacherous and opportune. Fitness after the Christmas break was always going to be troublesome and Poly were hampered by the cancellation of our normal Wednesday night session. Both games were against Div 1 opponents, with all to play for in a tightly packed top four.

Caledonia 8 - 8 Polytechnic

Caledonia look likely to go down from Div 1 and it was disappointing to share points from a match Poly might have won.  Understandably the standard of polo was affected by a lack of fitness and match sharpness from both sides, but Caledonia took advantage of Poly’s myopic defensive work to force the draw.  Lacking dynamism, too often players were left unmarked, or allowed to swim through to 2m without defensive reshuffle.  Ultimately this cost Poly the game, because in static attacks Caledonia presented little danger.  Only the referee was more shore sighted, deciding that Carlos Ardid had gained an unfair advantage but “mouthing” the back of the centre-forwards head, for which he received a split lip and an exclusion.  This was a moment when we needed Gary Simons for a running punt of the 2m cone.  In attack Poly looked dangerous against the drop, largely thanks to the shooting arm of newcomer Lorenzo Cacciola, who netted three times from distance.  This changed when the left-hander was outside the pool and Poly would do well to remember that attack is prospective, with much needed movement sorely missing.  With a right-hander on the weak side, a drive from 4 was needed to create the space to play a second centre-forward, shoot off the pass or pick off one of the post men.  On the positive side, this is a game Poly could as easily have lost, but it speaks volumes that the result felt like a defeat.  Maybe just one volume.

Sheffield 10 - 9 Polytechnic

Sheffield now lead the table with maximum points from four games.  They are a strong team, with decent players and strong pit forwards, but ultimately Poly were the cause of our own undoing.  Mistakes get made, what matters is that we learn from them.  Someone important said that and therefore it must be true; sadly Poly received a D- for this test.  The attack proved variably successful and once again Lorenzo Cacciola scored four fine goals from the arc, with his compatriot Sergio Schiaffino slotting another four from close range.  It became clear that Sheffield had a strategy for shutting down Chris Icely in centre-forward and Poly might have benefitted from a tactical change in this regard, using a jobbing centre-forward to create space for Chris at number five, where he has proven effective all season.  Defence is where the mistakes were unmistakeable (that’s some sort of pun); Poly opted for a press defence, but failed to divine the meaning of the word, making it far too easy for Sheffield to work the ball around and feed a pass in to 2m.  This left either Ardid, or Jeremy Johnson looking like a “Melon” and ultimately, Poly shipped the majority of goals from 2m.  Apparently we were playing an M-zone for the final quarter, but this message had apparently not been communicated to the players.  Either that or the team needs a bit more sign-posting…or perhaps a lobotomy?  Jokes (and puns) aside, defence has traditionally been a relative strength of the Poly historically, but it is critical that we remember that defence is active, not passive.  A collective understanding of the precise nature of our defensive duties would go some way to making this side truly dangerous.  This team has pedigree and experience, but this needs to be translated into better in-game communication and tactical decision making.

Overall there is as much positive as negative to be taken from the weekend.  Poly have only lost one game so far and have no more division 1 opponents to play.  With 3 weeks of the season left, we need a focused attendance at training, along with a positive attitude to the final weekend.  Crucially, we must play with positivity, both offensively and defensively.

- Jeremy Johnson

BWPL 2015, Championship 1, Weekend 1, Guilford

Weekend 1 of championship  1; this is the start of the business end of the season and the moment when it's time to step up to the plate.  There are no easy matches from here and games will be won or lost on tight margins and clinical execution. Poly has a strong tradition of technically gifted and tactically intelligent players. At times passion has been lacking and a fear of losing rather than a desire to win has been stifling.  Preparation had been hampered by several players being unwell in recent weeks and consistent team attendance at training has been less than hoped for.  Nonetheless, this team is committed to achieving promotion to division 1. This weekend was a chance to prove it.

Team Northumbria 10 - 10 Polytechnic

Preparation for this game has focused on shutting down Northumbria's principal strength at centre-forward, played by American left-hander Zack White.  White is slow and lacking fitness, but is a technically gifted player and responsible for the majority of Northumbria's goal haul in division 1. Poly have been working on a new three man drop, similar to an M-zone, but with an emphasis on closing the space around centre-forward as opposed to pressing off the arc for rapid breakaway. The system is unfamiliar and this showed in quarter 1, with White scoring 3 from centre-forward, the main issue being 3 playing too high, ending up in a position that was neither a drop, nor closing the space to the arc.  The Poly attack was also new, with Andre Ferdinand taking an unfamiliar role at centre-forward and newcomer Lorenzo Cacciola playing on 2. Andre was getting some good position and Lorenzo scored twice in quarter 1, Poly trailing 4-2 at the end of the quarter. As the game developed, the drop defense improved, reflected by the diminishing return at centre-forward; White scored twice in quarter 2, once in 3 and failed to score in quarter four. The Poly attack was struggling however; dynamic and creating chances, there was a lack of end-product and perhaps some better in game management would have seen Poly utilising the individual strengths of individual players more effectively, such as new centre-forward Andreas Anastasiou, who returned four kickouts from 5 attacks. At times he was suffocated by unnecessary crowding from a second centre-forward. Ultimately the game was getting away from Poly and with four and a half minutes to play of quarter 4, we faced a 10-5 deficit. Many teams would have capitulated at this stage, but it is to Poly's credit that we remained determined and active. Four unanswered goals in four minutes brought the Poly to within 1 goal of parity. 22 seconds left, Poly call time-out.  This was a moment to create self belief and for the team to step into a division 1 ready outfit. Poly worked the ball across the arc and moved Chris Icely into position at 5m on position 5. Taking the foul, Chris rose to shoot, but disguised a fine lob out the side of his hand, dropping the keeper and slotting an equaliser with 5 seconds left.  Moments like these can be defining, let's make this one count.

Polytechnic 12 - 8 Croydon

The Sunday game saw Poly take on familiar opponents Croydon. The two have played each other several times and Poly have often come unstuck against a mercurial Croydon side that can be problematic, but ultimately Poly are a better side, with greater dynamism and technical prowess.  Pleasingly Poly dominated from start to finish, putting the hammer down from quarter one by taking an unassailable 6-0 lead. Carlos Ardid channelled his new found spiritual purity with an outstanding game at centre back and three fine goals including a rather outrageous backhand. Chris Icely chucked in four and there were further contributions from Ben Van Doren, Luke Jones and Jeremy Johnson. Often times Poly have allowed our quality to descend to the level of weaker opponents, but pleasingly this was not the case today. A clear defensive plan was executed crisply and goals flowed in attack. Understandably Croydon pulled a few late goals when the game was 11-4 but this did little to blemish an accurate performance by Poly.

Overall the weekend was successful then, with Poly retaining a strong position whilst looking keenly ahead to the January fixtures.  It's crucial the team carries the momentum of this weekend through the Christmas break and delivers the performances necessary for promotion. All the tools are there, so let's do this!

Merry Christmas to all.

- Jeremy Johnson

BWPL 2015, Weekend 3, Lancaster, 7/8 November 2015

With playoff qualification already secure, the context of the third BWPL weekend was somewhat different from its predecessors. Poly would take on bottom side Manchester Hawks, who are yet to win a match this season and Welsh Wanderers, an enigmatic team with a wide performance range.  This was an opportunity to experiment with a focus on driving in attack, post play during man-up and a defensive drop off the number two, whilst working a high line between three and four.

Game 1:

Polytechnic 9 - 8 Manchester Hawks

The Hawks have been the whipping boys of division 2 this season and the match started without surprise. Early goals from Ben Vandoren and Jeremy Johnson took Poly into an early 2-0 lead; this should have been the cue for taking the game out of sight and filling the Poly side of the scoreboard with goals. As it turns out, Poly never got out of second gear. The attack was creating chances, the new drive looked effective and the centre forwards were getting position on 2m, but there was a lack of intensity that meant goals decayed into missed chances.  Poly crept into half-time at 4 apiece with 2 goals from Carlos Ardid, but little else to show for our efforts. The Hawks are a young team and played on the counter attack, but surprisingly five of their goals came from centre forward, an unusually high return against Poly whose strength has historically been defensive. Poor focus, miscommunication and a lack of certainty around which defensive system was being played meant a loose and error strewn defense. This reflected the overall lack of quality in the game as a whole and once again Poly found themselves trailing. The game was precarious, but a fourth quarter brace from Luke Jones, a good centre forwards goal from John Bright, and a cool finish from returning star Fernando Galan with only 2.7 seconds on the clock eventually clinched Poly the game.

Game 2:

Welsh Wanderers 13 - 10 Polytechnic

In a word this game was disappointing. It's true that with qualification secure and a match start time of 9 am, motivation would be less forthcoming, but these are the kind of games that separate a division 1 team from a division 2 team.  The Welsh are a decent outfit on their day, but ultimately their game is one dimensional, electing to play off their key man, Dan Laxton whenever possible. Poly know this and it represents a significant failure that we were unable to mark him out of the game, considering the high quality defensive players at our disposal and perhaps execution of a more targeted game plan would have made the difference. If proof were needed, Laxton scored 7 goals (the majority unspectacular) making up 54% of the Welsh goal haul. That's just science. Attack suffered in the same way as the defence, with incoherence and a failure to convert chances. Chris Icely stood out once again, with 4 goals for Poly, but the overall team performance looked jaded and purposeless. Poly trailed for almost the entire game and never truly looked like winning it, always a bit too slow and a bit too loose. Credit to the Welsh, they played hard and took the victory, but Poly are capable of so much more.

Nothing happens in isolation and the failures of the team are layered.  At base, it is clear that fitness will need to be taken up a level to compete in Div 1; allied to this, Poly need to start to look and play like a team, taking control of matches and dictating play, rather than being reactive. This requires greater organisation and tactical awareness. We know Poly are capable, with the players needed to play in Div 1 and play well. The final missing piece is desire, a desire to give our all and leave nothing out in the water. Come on Poly, we can do this!

- Jeremy Johnson

A new home for the Poly

This week, after a number of false-starts, the Poly finally had their first session at the London Aquatic Centre (LAC) in Stratford. The team swam in the main competition pool for an hour, before moving to the diving pit for a game against Penguin. Going forward, this will be a regular, weekly training session, and it allows the team to train in one of the world's best aquatic training facilities. Importantly, it finally gives the team a pool in which they can train to the level that fits the ambitions of the club.

These ambitions include using the LAC to encourage and expand the club's youth team, and the potential to host tournaments and training camps.

The move to the LAC has taken a lot of work, and everyone would like to thank those involved for all their efforts in getting us to this point. 

BWPL 2015, Weekend 2, Bristol, 10/11 October 2015

The second weekend of the national league calendar saw poly take on Sutton & Cheam, Solihull and Penguin.  This provided a qualification opportunity for the top tier and a chance to transition from the awkward first weekend of the season into a division 1 ready team.

Game 1

Poly 11-10 Sutton & Cheam

This was something of an awkward match for Polytechnic.  On paper the win should have been a straightforward one, with S&C making up the bottom end of the table and struggling for wins.  Poly entered the water with a sense of lethargy and quickly found ourselves 0-2 down. The defender lacked finesse, giving away 5 majors in quarter 1.  Solid man down coupled with smart keeping from Matteo Gaspari meant Poly were not punished as heavily as we might have been.  Finding a degree of focus, Poly dragged the game to parity at 2-2 by the end of quarter one thanks to two goals from Chris Icely. Quarters 2 & 3 saw Poly demonstrating signs of improvement, with goals from Sergio Schiaffino, Jeremy Johnson, Luke Jones, Andre Ferdinand and Chris Icely taking Poly into a 10-7 lead by quarter 3's close.  This was a game that Poly never truly controlled however; once three goals up there wasan opportunity to stretch this game beyond reach, but caution meant Poly tried to defend a lead prematurely.  This is never a good strategy in polo and the price was almost a heavy one.  The game began to loosen and 3 unanswered goals by S&C levelled the match at 10 apiece, with the spectre of a wasteful draw looming.  This was a position Poly should never have found themselves in and bemoans a current sense of inhibition in the side, too often playing intellectually rather than instinctively.  Some fine play gained Poly a last minute penalty and with only 23 seconds on the clock, Andre Ferdinand ripped in his second penalty of the match to let Poly off the hook.
 

Game 2

Polytechnic 8 - 9 Solihull

Poly and Solihull were both unbeaten at the start of this match and it is clear why.  The standard of polo in this game from both sides was clearly raised, with considered and structured play.  Unfortunately Poly lost Sergio Schiaffino early in quarter one, the reason for which remains mysterious, with neither referee able to clarify which gave the wrap and why. The game was a series of counterpunches, so much so that Poly suffered a second loss - Fernando Galan having his eye split by a Solihull fist forcing him out of the game.  The offending Solihull player was wrapped, but bizarrely not for brutality, a decision which would clearly have changed the game.  A brief 7-5 lead to Poly was the only daylight in the match and ultimately Poly lost the encounter, with a last minute goal taking a wicked deflection off a defensive block and wrong-footing the once again excellent Matteo Gaspari in goal.  We will of course play Solihull again and on the evidence of this encounter, there is no reason Poly could not be on the opposite end of this result.

Game 3

Polytechnic 12 - 7 Penguin

The derby.  A rousing team speech from Livio gave Poly a clear dictum for this match…”this is not a match, this is war”.  Armed with such intent, Poly started the game vigorously, with a 3-1 lead by the end of quarter one.  Defensive work remained tight and clean, led by the imperious Spanish brethren of Miguel and Carlos Ardid.  Attack is where Poly played our best game of the season so far.  Newcomer Federico Carucci slotting 3 goals in the first two quarters and lefty Ben Van Doren chucking in one of his own.  Going through the gears and tightening the noose, Poly showed our strength and depth of squad, with solid contributions all round.  Chris Icely had a particularly stellar game, with 5 goals from in and around the CF/2nd CF area.  Ben "Two Brooms" Robra played his first game of the season, with a fine display in goal for quarters 3 & 4.

A narrow defeat to Solihull with some good waterpolo saw a successful weekend for Poly, with guaranteed qualification for phase 2 of the season.  Of course, this is where the competition really begins and Poly will need to iron out the creases if we are to present a genuinely Division 1 ready team.  The signs are good, but now more than ever, commitment and discipline is required to climb back into the position Poly expects to be.  Special mentions go to Chris Icely for his fine performance in front of goal, Andre Ferdinand for his faultless penalty taking (3 from 3), the Ardid brothers for excellent defensive work and Ben Robra for his performance in goal. Finally, Fernando Galan showed what it means to be a team, by staying with the squad all weekend, despite being rendered lame on Saturday afternoon. Can you hear the drums Fernando?

- Jeremy Johnson

Bill Searby

With great sadness I report the passing of former Poly player Bill Searby. He passed away at home on the13th October after a brave nearly 20 year battle with Cancer.

Bill joined the Poly from the Neptune club in 1952 and in an era ruled by huge almost unstoppable pit men like Terry Miller, Les Baldwin , Phil Jones and our own Pete Messider. Bill became one of the games finest defenders and led Poly to their first ever National title in 1956

I first saw Bill in action that year playing for the Southern Counties in a practice game against the Great Britain team prior to the 56 Melbourne Olympics. The pit man for GB was the mighty Terry Miller a player so good that he was flown to Italy most weeks to represent a leading club side there. Bill marked him out of the game and the South went on to win the game. Sadly the only change the selectors made to the team was to swap the keepers and the Souths Arthur Grady (Chopper) a former Poly player got the nod. However there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that Bill should have made the team and become an Olympian on his performance that night.

Bill also played a big part in my Polo future having seen me play for my local team in 1956 he invited me to join the Poly. I was very reluctant to move on but I was persuaded by my team captain Don Newbold  that it was the right move for me. The following season 1957 thanks to Bill I was selected for GB.

Also in 1957 Bill was a member of the Poly team that travelled to Moscow to take part in the World Youth Games, The GB team had been invited but at that time they would not travel to behind the Iron Curtain. The invite was then passed on to the Poly as National Champions, we were refused permission to travel by the ASA but went anyway. Once there with Bill running our defence the Poly team finished 4th out of 12 National teams only beaten by Olympic Champions Hungary, Russia an East Germany.

Bill was a wonderful club man and friend and I think the finest defender  that I ever played behind

Bill leaves devoted wife Julia, loving children Claire Stephen and David and six grandchildren.Those wishing to celebrate his life on the 9th November are invited to contact the family for details.

- Neil May

BWPL 2015, Weekend 1, Sheffield, 26/27 September 2015

Match Report

This weekend heralded the start of Poly's journey back to division 1 of the British National Waterpolo League. Of course, preparation has been underway for several months now, spearheaded by our new Italian coach Livio. Bringing some much needed energy and focus, he has been a breath of fresh air, giving coherence to an often disparate squad of individuals. Allied to this has been an emphasis on fitness, a weapon that has been missing from the Poly arsenal in times past. With fitness comes technique and in high end matches the consistent delivery of technique is essential. The tools are there, but what of results?

Game 1 Polytechnic - Croydon

Win 9-6

Croydon have been something of a bogey team in recent times for Poly. Scrappy games, with loss of structure do not suit Poly and too often we have allowed matches to fracture and unwind. This game was something of a curate's egg of an affair. A bright start, with Sergio Schiaffano proving alert and calm in front of goal took Poly to a 2-0 lead by the end of quarter 1. Outside of the 3rd quarter, the only one Poly would lose, the match sheet describes a composed and efficient march to victory. What it doesn't show is a worrying profligacy in front of goal from the team as a whole. Chance after chance, miss after miss. Enough 1-1 opportunities were missed as to obscure individuals from being singled out for reproach. Matteo was easily Poly's MVP with many outstanding saves throughout the game; without his performance the result may have been different. Poly's defence has been it's true, dependable strength for many years now and pleasingly this remains the case. Genuine opportunities for Croydon were limited and ultimately they were always kept at arms length.

Game 2 Polytechnic - Worthing

Win 5-4

Worthing are the newcomers to division 2, but signalled their intent with victory over Penguin on Saturday night. Poly were unacceptably short in depth, with a squad of only 8 outfield players available for the game. If a serious challenge is to be made, this will need to change. Poly led the game from start to finish; the Worthing attack was rendered worthless by
a comprehensive and composed defensive display. A front marked centre-forward with a tight arc press limited genuine opportunities with some disciplined work at centre-back. The story in attack was alarmingly different, echoing the same lack of killer instinct as in game 1. The Worthing goalkeeper stood head and shoulders above his team mates, but nonetheless, Poly were guilty of a static and unimaginative attack in the face of a deep drop by Worthing. Dynamism was required, but drives were rare and careless shots common. The few times Poly created space to play off the centre-forward led to kick-outs and a nice goal from John Bright followed neat interplay between Luke Jones and Jeremy Johnson. This area of the attack clearly needs practice and Livio will undoubtedly guide the team in this respect. Overall the balance of opportunities still leant heavily towards Poly, but again, capitalising on them is a must. Surprisingly, fitness probably saved Poly from both results narrowly turning against us.

The story is a mixed one so far then. Solid defensive work has been retained and fitness added. Attack remains the greatest area for improvement. It is encouraging that chances are being created, but this has to be translated into goals lest we risk failing to fulfil our undoubted potential.

Special mentions for this weekend go to Matteo for an outstanding performance in goal, Serigio as top scorer and Ben "The Broom" Rubra our second goalkeeper. Ben did not get any pool time with us this weekend, but remained a positive influence from the bench and kept good humour throughout. Everyone in this team carries equal importance. We said we wouldn't single out the missed one on ones, but we lied and we will. Luke, Sergio, Chris, Fernando, Fernando, Fernando. You know who you are.

- Jeremy Johnson

New Season Dates

The dates for the first round of the new season are out, and the Poly Mens begin their season at Ponds Ford in Sheffield on the 26/27th September against Croydon and Worthing, followed by Bristol on the 10/11th October against Sutton, Solihull and Penguin, and finishing up the first phase in Lancaster against Manchester and the Welsh on 7/8th November.

http://www.bwpl-data.org/division/fixtures/33?view=web

The Ladies will also be in Sheffield on the 26/27th September and will begin their season against Devonport, Iceni and Liverpool, before going to Malborough College to play Leeds, Sunderland and Birmingham  on the 24/25th October, and finishing up the first phase in Walsall against Southampton and Penguin Rockhoppers on the 14 November.

http://www.bwpl-data.org/division/fixtures/39?view=web

If you're in the area please come down and lend your support.

Disappointing start to British Championships campaign

Poly kicked off their British Championship in Bristol this weekend (January 17th) in front of a 250 strong crowd. The team started the game full of promise, and, had they taken their man-ups chances, would (should) have been up at the half-time break - from 7 man-ups Poly scored 1 in the first two quarters. Instead they conceded a couple of cheap goals, which saw them 4-2 down.

The team's lack of game time and fitness told as the game went on, and by the final quarter Bristol were taking their chances with ease, finishing 17-3 winners.

Captain's take: had we taken our first half chances then the game would have been a completely different story. Wasting 11 man-ups is criminal and essentially handed the game to Bristol. We've got two weeks to quickly improve before our home game against Manchester on the 31st - I'm confident that, with the team training hard together, we'll be able to put on a much improved performance then and restore our confidence/pride. Hopefully we'll have the added luxury (!?) of a coach for our home game which I think will make the world of difference, and something that has played a major part in our poor results this season. See you then, Luke