Sedgefield Water Polo Club sent a men’s team to the Northern League Tournament at Maltby, Rotherham on Saturday 18th May.
The tournament consisted of five teams from across the region, including York, Barnsley, Morley, Rotherham and ourselves. Our team ranged in age from 14 years up to 24 years old, with players using this as a developmental opportunity.
The first game was against York. This game started tighter than we had anticipated with a 3-3 scoreline at half time. After a motivational team talk, the lads dominated the second half of the game, winning the half 6-1 and winning the game with an overall 9-4 score. This gave the team the confidence boost they needed for their next game which was against Barnsley; a team who had beaten us when we played them away at their pool last autumn.
Sedgefield started their second game in the same way which they had finished their first game, dominating the pool and leading by 6-1 at half time. In the second half, the team worked together exceptionally well and this was reflected in the final score, which was a fantastic 11-3 win.
The third game of the tournament was against Morley, and this proved to be a much closer matched game that the previous two. However, Sedgefield’s grit and determination to win their game helped maintain their lead throughout the game and the final result was an impressive 9-7.
The final game of the day was against ‘local’ rivals Rotherham, who had also won all three of their games, making this head to head match the final. This game proved to be the toughest challenge of the day for our young squad who were relentless and battled on despite some tough challenges. The score was close throughout the game, but, unfortunately, Sedgefield were never in a position to lead the game. All players showed great camaraderie and their team spirit shone through with the team battling right through to the final whistle and a 10-8 loss.
An excellent day and a very well-deserved silver medal for the team. A special mention to the younger members of our team – Aston (14), Kyle (15) and Gregor (16) who played well and didn’t look out of place in a men’s event.
We’d also like to advise that we can now offer player sponsorships for just £30 per player for this season, in return for regular advertising and promotion on our social media pages. If this is something that your business may be interested in, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. All monies raised will be used to allow our fantastic members the opportunity to develop their skills and provide them with the equipment they need in order to succeed in the sport.
In addition to Junior and Senior sessions, Sedgefield Water Polo Club now offers a beginner session at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre on a Saturday afternoon for those wishing to try this fun and exciting sport. All sessions need to be booked in advance on our Club App, so please check our website for further information and joining instructions, email sedgefieldwp@hotmail.com or contact 07579 030598.Maltby Water Polo Tournament