MT Vikings 9 – 8 Polo Stud Schockemohle
Two close games today confirmed who would be playing Monterosso and Next Generation in Thursday’s subsidiary semi-finals. The first match today saw Siri Bazzoni not only return to her MT Vikings team but score too. Their opponents this morning were a higher-handicapped Polo Stud Schockemohle team. Looking for their first win in this tournament the German-based team were playing the four-goaler Charlie Hanbury in place of their patron Ekard Joules. This new strategy appeared to be paying off for them in the early stages of the match. They were 2-1 up after the first chukka and were 4-2 up in the second. Failing to score at all in the third was the turning point in this game though. MT Vikings may have only added one further goal to their tally at half-time but the dynamics in this match had slightly shifted. MT Vikings levelled the scores to 5-5 in the fourth and not only pulled away in the fifth but managed to maintain that all-important one-goal advantage on the final whistle. This team performance has earned MT Vikings a date with Next Generation on Thursday at midday.
Segavas 11 – 10 Park Place Vaara
Segavas have secured a subsidiary semi-final game on Thursday against Monterosso after beating Park Place Vaara at Coworth Park this afternoon. In addition to winning this match, this team also won the Gerard Leigh Trophy, presented in memory of a former Chairman of Guards Polo Club, Col William Gerard Leigh. He was Chairman of the Club from 1955 until 1981. The match had looked as if this was going to be Park Place Vaara’s game. They arrived at Coworth Park fresh from a surprising win over Les Lions/Great Oaks last Wednesday and everyone wondered if they had now found their spark. It seemed they had in the first few minutes – leading 4-1 in the early stages of the second chukka. Their game then stalled, while Segavas piled on the goals, taking the lead 6-5 at half-time. Park Place Vaara had not given up quite yet, remaining only a goal behind the leaders for the rest of the match. It was great to see such competitive play from both teams. Segavas will now play Monterosso in the second subsidiary semi final on Thursday. These two teams have already met in this year’s tournament, Monterosso coming out best last Tuesday. Segavas will be hoping to turn the tables on Alessandro Bazzoni’s team and win a place in Sunday’s subsidiary final, where the winning team heads home with the Cartier Trophy.
Photos credited to Images of Polo.