Thai Polo Capture Victory in Opening Game of Cartier Queen’s Cup
An exciting start to the 2020 Cartier Queen’s Cup featured an impressive second half comeback from Thai Polo to defeat Scone Polo 9-7 on The Duke’s Ground at Guards Polo Club.
Thai Polo debuted Michel del Carril and Tommy Beresford, who combined for five goals as part of a new look line-up that saw Ned Hine and Jack Richardson return from the Gold Cup. Inaccurate 2 for 9 shooting from the field over the first four chukkas saw Thai Polo fall behind an organized Scone team that was led by five goals from Nico Pieres, but their defense in the late stages of the game proved to be crucial in outcome. Holding Scone off the scoreboard in the fifth and sixth chukkas, Thai Polo came back from three goals down to finish the game with five consecutive goals and capture the thrilling 9-7 victory.
Holding a one-goal advantage on handicap, Thai Polo maintained that lead at the end of the first chukka after Beresford opened the scoring to make an immediate impact for Thai Polo. Nico Pieres responded with a penalty 2 conversion for Scone, restoring the one-goal difference in what proved to be a back and forth opening half. Pieres added his second goal of the game, along with an assist to James Harper to pull Scone even with Thai Polo at 3-3. Holding off the Scone attack, Thai Polo’s Richardson scored to push his team back into the lead, but a relentless Scone offense broke through to finish the half. A penalty 4 conversion for Pieres along with Oliver Cudmore’s first goal gave Scone their first lead of the game at 5-4 to conclude the first half.
Opening the second half with his third conversion to remain perfect from the penalty line, Pieres gave Scone the early momentum in the fourth chukka. Adding a second goal from the field, Pieres continued to be an offensive force, while an organized team defense kept Thai Polo off the scoreboard, building a significant three-goal lead with two chukkas remaining. Despite a relatively clean game up until the fifth chukka, Scone found themselves in foul trouble, committing six fouls over the final two chukkas to give Thai Polo the opening they needed to mount a comeback. Beresford excelled at the back of the game, converting a penalty, and also finding Richardson on the end of a pass to cut the deficit to just one entering the final chukka. Possession remained with Thai Polo as Scone managed just one shot and failed to find the scoreboard for the second consecutive chukka to finish the game, allowing Thai Polo to complete their run of five unanswered goals, led by two more goals from Beresford who sealed the 9-7 victory for Thai Polo to open play in the 2020 Cartier Queen’s Cup.
Photo: Images of Polo
All matches remain behind closed doors but every game is being filmed and can be viewed LIVE via a pay per view service at guardspoloclub.com/guards-tv.