The senior team continued the Liverpool and District season when they visited Austin Rawlinson Pool in Speke to play Bridgefield. In our home match earlier in the season Bridgefield were 7-4 winners and will expect to finish 1st or 2nd in the league this year. The game started off well with goals from Ian Musgrove and Tom Hadley. However Bridgefield came back into the game with two goals and just to keep the game interesting Warrington missed a penalty. Warrington’s goalkeeper Neil Musgrove played exceptionally well from the first quarter to the third when Peter Burke went in goal for the final quarter.
In the second quarter we expected Bridgefield to hit us hard on the counter attack into the deep end. However Warrington took control of the game, carefully setting up the arc and goals coming from Bryn Edwards (2) and Tom Hadley (1). The opposition were not going to settle for second place with two goals. The quarter ended with a slender lead to Warrington 4-5.
The third quarter saw Warrington attack the deep, Bridgefield had two players excluded during the quarter but Warrington failed to execute the power play. However Tom Hadley scored two goals with Bridgefield starting to look a little tired could only reply with one goal giving Warrington a two goal lead (5-7). James Collins (15years) playing in one of his first senior matches was faultless in defence and supported every attack. The goals will be coming soon James!
The fourth quarter we had a change with Peter Burke going into goal and Neil Musgrove playing out. Within 23 seconds Bridgefield snatched a quick goal and at 6-7 were we about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. James Williams settled the nerves with a goal and we had our two goal cushion again. Surely victory was in sight. Four minutes into the quarter Neil Musgrove needed a blow, but Lee Chadwick was so keen to get in that he entered the water using the ‘bomb’ technique before Neil could get to the side. Lee in accordance with the rules was excluded for the rest of the game and a penalty was awarded to Bridgefield which they converted making the score 7-8.
At that point I had to enter the fray which was not part of the script for the evening. Warrington conceded another exclusion which was defended before Bryn Edwards scored with 2 minutes to go, again a 2 goal difference. On 5’20 Tom Hadley was about to take the free throw before he could do this an opposition player knocked the ball from his arm and promptly went through to score. Players are not normally allowed to interfere with a free throw but we still had a one goal lead. On 6’ 48 the referee excluded another Warrington player again the team rallied to defend the power play. Eventually the final whistle and the final score 8-9 to Warrington.
Although the team was full of young players, Bridgefield were heard to comment later on the excellent juniors coming through at Warrington. However man of the match went to Neil Musgrove for his display in goals in the first three quarters.
Scorers Tom Hadley 4, Bryn Edwards 3, Ian Musgrove 1, James Williams 1.