Spalding Water Polo are celebrating after being crowned champions of Division One in the Hertfordshire League.
They concluded their season last Friday night with a 10-5 win at basement boys Bedford to secure top spot.
The game started off tentatively in a first quarter that saw even opportunities for both teams.
Bedford’s captain Irvine managed to capitalise on three occasions to bag an early hat-trick, but two brothers from Spalding kept the score line close with goals from Phil James and John James leaving the scoreline at 3-2 in Bedford’s favour.
Spalding turned the tables in the second quarter as the team’s discipline began to pay off.
Goals from Ben Marsters and Ed Martin soon put them 4-3 up and on-course for the title.
Spalding turned up the intensity in the third quarter and bagged five goals, without reply. One more apiece from Marsters, Phil James and John James, plus two for the team junior Rickett, made a great way to end his debut season.
The fourth quarter saw goals from both sides.
Marsters got his third for Spalding and, although Bedford managed two goals from Everett and Richardson, it was too little, too late for the home team.
Spalding’s goal keeper John Davis also made an excellent one-on-one save late in the game.
The squad would like to thank Spalding Round Table and the Spalding Beer and Music Festival committee for their valued ongoing support. This has enabled the team to develop and top the table as well as establish a junior training programme to invest in the future of water polo in the area.
