Salkeld pip Piaget by a goal in 2012 Gold Cup opener
By Herbert Spencer
Nick Clarke’s Salkeld squeezed past Stefano Marsaglia’s Piaget 8-7 in Tuesday’s opening match of the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club.
Sixteen teams have entered the 22-goal British Open including the titleholders, Lyndon Lea’s Zacara. The final is scheduled for 15 July.
The opening match was a cliff-hanger. After the first chukka ended in a 1-1 tie, Salkeld held Piaget scoreless in the second period and went ahead 2-1. Piaget came back strong in the third period to take the lead 4-3 with goals by Alejandro Muzzio, Joaquin Pittaluga and Christian Laprida against one by Salkeld’s James Beim.
Two goals by Salkeld’s Luke Tomlinson put the teams equal 5-5 at the end of the fourth period. A goal by Salkeld patron Clarke put his team ahead in the fifth chukka before Pittaluga scored for Piaget to tie the match again 6-6.
In the sixth period Muzzio put Piaget ahead again, but two final goals by Tomlinson gave Sakeld the game.
In the day’s other British Open match, Jean-Fraçois Decaux’s La Bamba de Areco narrowly defeated Joachim Gottschalk’s Les Lions 14-13.
League play continues Wednesday when Thai Polo meets Enigma on Lawns while Sumaya plays Cortium at Great Trippetts Farm.