herewith the report from the weekend...

SOUTH EAST REGION 

Tournament Report: ASA Inter Regional Academy Boys (97’s) Water Polo Championships 25th and 26th February 2012 at Newport International Sports Village The Academy Boys format of the Inter Regional Water Polo Championships comprises of two Divisions with each League comprising of six teams and playing at separate venues this year. Our League opponents were London, North West Ravens, Wales, East and Scotland. Games were two seven minutes halves. Our squad is young but with seven members gaining valuable experience from last year’s tournament we should be quite competitive this year and again setting up the younger players with good experience for next year’s tournament. A brief report on each game is detailed below: 

Saturday 25th Feb 2012 Game 1 - Blue v North West Ravens We started brightly, adopting a 234 defensive zone for the first time which was executed extremely well by all and the opposition did not have an answer to break it down. In attack we utilised a number of players in the centre forward position we drew plenty of majors and there was some nice shooting from the top. Man up’s required improving but overall we run out comfortable 9-2 winners in our first competitive game. 

Final Score 2 - 9 (HT 1 – 4)Scorers: Goddard 4, O’Dell 3 and Hazeldine 2Majors: Hazeldine 2 

Saturday 25th Feb 2012 Game 2 - White v Scotland The game started with both teams creating chances but neither team able to convert them. We hadn’t started as well as the previous game although we scored with 25 seconds remaining in the first half to give ourselves a 3 nil lead at half time. We started again poorly in the second half conceding 2 early goals putting us under pressure but we slowly took control of the game and with 2 and a half minutes to go we changed tactics which enabled us to take possession of the ball higher up the pitch scoring some quick goals on the counter finishing up as 9 – 2 winners 

Final Score 9 – 2 (HT 3 – 0)Scorers: Goddard 3, Hazeldine 2, Jones 1, O’Dell 1, Shacklady 1 and Taylor 1Majors: Haxeldine1, Waldram 1 and Goddard 1 

Saturday 25th Feb 2013 Game 3 - Blue v East Having looked at the days results this game was going to be one of the hardest of the weekend. Westarted much better than the game having more shape, were a bigger goal threat against the first team to play a drop defence from early on we looked the better side but struggled to convert enough chances, with our defence working well to contain their goal threat, it was 2 all at half time. The second half was much of the same, defence working well and creating chances at the other end. James O’Dell scored with 3 minutes remaining which turned out to be the winner even with all times out coming in the last 40 seconds they didn’t look likely to breakdown our defence. 

Final Score 3 – 4 (HT 2 -2 )Scorers: O’Dell 2, Hazeldine 1 and Goddard 1Majors: None 

Sunday 26th Feb 2012 Game 4 - Blue v Wales We started slowly and conceded the first goal, but run out comfortable winners. We moved away from our 234 Zone defence as the Welsh lacked a strong centre forward, adopting these changed tactics seemed to cause us a problem but we regrouped at half time and turned out for the second half in a better frame of mind. We constantly hit them on the counter and perhaps the final score flattered our performance. 

Final Score 1 – 11 (HT 1 – 3)Scorers: Hazeldine 5, O’Dell 4. Shacklady 1 and Goddard 1Majors: Goddard 2, Bubb 1, Nye 1, O’Dell 1 and Hazeldine 1 

Sunday 26th Feb 2012 Game 5 - Blue v London Having played and won all 4 games so far we knew that winning this game would secure top spot with London narrowly losing to the East who we narrowly beat yesterday, as well as it being local Derby, we knew it would be a tough ask. We returned to our 234 Zone which we felt more comfortable executing. We didn’t quite perform to our potential conceding some avoidable goals and found ourselves 4 – 1 behind in the first half. We traded goals and got the score back to 5 – 3 at half time. They scored early in the second half after feeding the ball into the pit. We then endured 5 minutes of frustration with neither team able to develop an opening with both defences holding firm. Ben Goddard then won and converted a man up opportunity to put us to within 2 goals with 1minute and 42 seconds on the clock. Joe Hazeldine quickly intercepted a long pass and within 10 seconds of our man up goal we pull to within 1 with an excellent back shot from James O’Dell. With our defence still holding firm we mounted our last attack with 40 seconds remaining on the clock and we earned a dubious man up with 16 seconds remaining and without any particular shape and the clock counting down James O’Dell found himself 7m from goal in a central position with a raucous crowd all calling for him to Shoot, his shot ricocheted of the defending block and into the goal with 1 second remaining on the clock, equalling the score line at 6 all. 

Final Score 6- 6 (HT 5 – 3)Scorers: Goddard 3, O’Dell 2 and Jones 1Majors: Shacklady 1, Hazeldine 1 and Goddard 1 

We remained unbeaten throughout the tournament running out winners beating the East into second place. The whole squad put in a considerable effort and deserved to be overall winners. We trust that the whole squad enjoyed the experience, learnt something along the way and will return to their clubsinspired to train hard and represent their region in future years to come.  

Thanks goes to the Parents and supporters who cheered the players along and trust they enjoyed the weekend. Congratulations to Joe Hazeldine who was voted MVP by the other competing Teams at the Tournament 

James Bray(GK); Ellis Bubb; Tom Guthrie; Daniel Jefferys; Nathan Jones; Francis Nye; James O’Dell;Matt Shacklady; Joe Hazeldine; Jack Taylor; Oliver Waldram; Tom Wintle and Ben Goddard 

Coaching Team: Ben Alcorn and Steve Bray.