Two contrasting games on day two of the Cartier Queen’s Cup
Dubai 12 – 8 Valiente/Dubai at Highfield Farm
A disappointing game, much of it played in drizzly rain, featuring the two Dubai teams taking part in this year’s Cartier Queen’s Cup. Ralph Richardson stepped in for Rob Jornayvaz, who this week is graduating from university and so couldn’t yet leave the USA. With Ralph on two goals, Valiente/Dubai received a goal on handicap. The weather caused the game to start a little late and it took a while for these teams to warm up. Valiente/Dubai were narrowly leading 5-3 at the end of the second chukka thanks to goals from Martin Valent and Guillermo Terrera and a penalty conversion off the stick of Alejandro Stirling de Tarenco. Although goals from Kian Hall and Adolfo Cambiaso kept Valiente/Dubai in their sights, this seeded team seemed a little lacklustre in these early chukkas. However, a yellow card for Cambiaso at the end of the second chukka seemed to fire him up and change the dynamic of the game, although Cambiaso’s first run to goal in the third went wide, but a successful penalty from him from the spot began to close the gap. Meanwhile Terrera produced a great run through traffic to score for Valiente/Dubai, while Dubai’s Juan Martin Nero produced a lovely shot to goal to take the score to 6-5 to Valiente/Dubai at half-time.
Nero started the fourth as he finished the third, this time with a strong back shot to goal. With Cambiaso converting a 30-yarder and Valiente/Dubai failing to score – Terrera’s cheeky steal from Nero hit the post – Dubai were now leading 7-6. Nero started the fifth with a goal too, only for de Tarenco to convert a penalty and Terrera to score a field goal. Scores were now level and there was only one chukka left.
This was very much Dubai’s chukka. Valiente/Dubai played hard but could not convert some good plays into goals. Meanwhile Dubai took advantage of their rivals’ bad luck. Nero started the goal rush, followed by Rashid Albwardy scoring two in quick succession. Cambiaso finished off the attack, scoring the 19th goal of the game and confirming a Dubai victory.
Talandracas 12 – 11 HB Polo at Guards Polo Club
This was a thrilling match, producing some lovely, flowing polo from both sides, but it would be fair to say that the story of the afternoon was that HB lost this game. All was level after the first, but HB Polo started to slowly pull away in the second. Co-patron Sebastian Pailloncy produced a great run and then a long shot at an angle to goal to confirm that his team was not fazed by the seeded Talandracas boys and meant business. His brother Ludovic reiterated this message by picking up a great pass from David Stirling to score just before the bell. Talandracas of course fought back, with Polito Pieres running down the field to score in the second, but there was a feeling that HB had the edge in these early stages. A delay in the third after Stirling was hit in the leg, but he returned to the field to score, as did Sebastian, while Ignacio Toccalino converted a 60-yarder. Guillermo Caset converted two penalties for Talandracas, but crucially HB went off the field at half-time two goals ahead.
Two goals from both sides kept the goal difference unchanged in the fourth, but things started to change in the fifth. Although Stirling produced two great runs in this chukka and Toccalino converted a penalty, Talandracas, despite being given a yellow flag, started to get more into the game. Tommy Beresford produced a great cut shot to goal, while Caset successfully converted two penalties. He then produced a superb pass to Pieres so that they could close the gap to 11-10.
So there really was all to play for in the sixth and final chukka which was packed full of drama. The spectators were treated to some great runs from both sides but there were no goals for the first four minutes of this chukka. Caset broke the deadlock when he converted a 30-yarder for Talandracas. Then Pieres took a heavy fall and so there was a delay while he regained his composure. Then with the scores at 11-11 and only a minute or so left HB Polo was awarded a safety 60 which Toccalino sent wide. Talandracas had obviously committed a foul during this penalty so Toccalino was given a second chance. Incredibly he sent this along the ground, so allowing Pieres to pick up and run to goal to score and win the game! The first time that Talandracas had taken the lead in this match!
TOMORROW’S GAMES
12noon King Power Foxes v La Indiana at Billingbear Park
3pm Britannia El Remanso v Sifani at Coworth Park