The British water polo team have headed east to compete in the Hungarian National League in preparation for London 2012. Renowned for their high quality water polo, Team GB have gone to battle it out with the best and have got their campaign off to a flying start.
The team’s original game against UVSE-Salamander was rescheduled meaning they kicked off with a match against Heracles II where they secured a 26-5 victory. Fran Clayton got the scoring underway converting a penalty won by Angie Winstanley-Smith.
One they started, they just couldn’t stop and a flurry of goals followed from Clayton, Winstanley-Smith and Lisa Gibson. As the team entered the second quarter, the goals kept coming and Britain began to run away with the match.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Related stories:
Water polo: Mixed results for British team in Fina World League
Water Polo: 2010 LEN European water polo championships qualifying
Water Polo: GB team shine again
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
After losing the ball at the start of the third quarter, a solid defence soon saw the team recover possession and maintain their dominance over the match with a further five goals making their way past the Heracles defence. The scoreboard just kept going up and up and the British girls ended on a high.
The girls went on to face what is likely to be their hardest opposition in the league when they took on defending champions, Dunaujvaros. They got off to a good start, winning the ball and Winstanley-Smith scoring on the first attack and Rachel Drabble netting a second at the very end of the first quarter to take a 2-1 lead.
The girls fought hard against an experienced team and finished the second quarter just one point down at 5-4. Goals in the third quarter kept them within touching distance but Dunaujvaros powered through and ended the quarter 12-7 up.
Despite finding the back of the net four times in the final quarter, the Hungarian side were too strong and finished with a 16-11 victory.
The British team currently lie second in the table behind Dunaujvaros and will fly out on the 21st October to contest three matches against Kecskemet, Honved and UVSE-Salamader.
Kirsty Page, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
