Next Generation 10 – 9 Monterosso (rec 1 goal)
Alessandro Bazzoni’s Monterosso team came close to causing a major upset this morning. His quartet featuring Guillermo Terrera, Ignacio Toccalino and Jeronimo del Carril kept on equal terms with Jean Francois Decaux’s Next Generation team for almost the entire game. They were 8-6 up in the fourth and continued to apply pressure. Toccalino and del Carril worked well together and those watching the livestream on Guards TV were treated to some lovely, flowing polo on The Duke’s Ground.
Jean Francois Decaux’s Next Generation, captained today by Diego Cavanagh, were unbeaten coming into this game and looking a likely prospect for the final, definitely had to work a little harder this morning. Poroto Cambiaso, once again impressing with his confidence and his agility to get around some hugely experienced players, found the equaliser in the fifth (8-8). His father, Adolfo Cambiaso, put Next Generation into the lead at the start of the sixth only for Toccalino to fire through an equalising penalty. With extra time looking likely and the clock ticking down rapidly, Poroto managed to find himself some space and just after the first bell he fired through a shot to win the game for Next Generation. This team are now level with Park Place on three wins apiece in League Two and they play each other for their final game. An automatic qualification for the semi-finals is at stake here and so both squads will have to be at the very peak for their game on Tuesday.
Scone Polo (rec 1 goal) 15 – 12 Les Lions / Great Oaks
David Paradice joined his Scone Polo team this afternoon at Les Lions for the first time in this tournament and helped them secure their second win of the tournament. Nico Pieres, who had retired hurt from Scone’s last game after being hit in the face by a loose horseshoe, was on excellent form. His ability to be everywhere on the field, plus his accurate penalty taking, saw Scone Polo with a 6-3 advantage at the end of the second chukka. Les Lions/Great Oaks have been impressive in this tournament and so one was expecting them to jump right back into this game but Scone stuck to their game plan and were able to head into the half-time break with a three-goal advantage (8-5).
Played in sweltering heat – the thermometer was registering an unheard of 36 degrees Celsius – play became a bit scrappy in the second half. Penalties replaced flowing play and although Barto Castagnola reduced Scone’s lead to just one goal in the fourth (8-7), some strong work from Pieres and James Harper restored Scone’s two-goal advantage going into the fifth. Nico started this chukka by failing to convert two penalties and many felt that this was Les Lions/Great Oaks’ moment to make their move. This failed to materialise. Although the Castagnola boys (Barto and Jeta) fired though penalties, Ollie Cudmore and Pieres also found the flags, ensuring Scone were in control going into the last chukka. Jeta started this chukka with a fast run to goal on an impressive grey mare, only for Scone to successfully convert two penalties. Barto and Santiago Laborde delivered some excellent, defensive play in this chukka but Les Lions/Great Oaks were creating too many penalties and with Pieres winning today’s sharp shooting contest, this game was now only going to go one way. To highlight Scone’s dominance today Pieres fired through a final 30-yarder with just seconds remaining! Scone Polo’s win leaves League One wide open with three teams on two wins each – les Lions/Great Oaks; Thai Polo and Scone Polo – and all eager to earn their automatic semi-final qualification. The next few games will be interesting.
Next Game
Saturday 8th August 11am Polo Stud Schockemohle v Segavas
Watch LIVE at guardspoloclub.com/guards-tv
Photos – Images of Polo