Welsh Wanderers were the only team to negotiate the first weekend of men’s Championship 1 games without dropping a point. Their latest success at Haberdashers, a 16-6 victory over Exeter, included four goals each for Matt Griffiths (Photo: Trevor Hyde) and Jack Montgomery.

Sheffield made it five points from three games as they defeated Watford 17-7 at Bolton. Ryan Symington scored five in Sutton & Cheam’s big win against Caledonia, 20-11.

​Having achieved a big win over Exeter on day one, Invicta added another West Country scalp, beating City of Bristol 17-9.

Portobello have made a great start in men’s Championship 2, winning for the second time – 13-7 against Rotherham Metro. Yalin Gulen and Ben Scott both hit four.
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After his spectacular goal-scoring exploits on day one, Sam Joyce settled for a comparatively modest contribution of six as Hucknall defeated Otter 16-7 in men’s Championship 2 at Haberdashers. His tally in three games? A mightily impressive 24.

City of Bristol and Exeter settled for a 19-19 draw in the men’s Championship 1 West Country derby at Haberdashers after the most dramatic of final quarters.

Bristol led 16-13 at the start of the fourth period and looked poised to wrap up the points as goals by Nick Rosenberger (2) and Nathan Brown made it 19-16 with 2.24 remaining. Then the Powell brothers took over for Exeter. Kameron Powell scored twice – in the space of 19 seconds - and then Reuben struck with the equaliser 37 seconds from the end.

Later, Exeter lost their second match – 27-15 to a Callum Bailey-inspired Invicta. He scored ten!

Invicta had crashed 17-11 to Welsh Wanderers in their first game. Star of the show for Wanderers was seven-goal Dan Laxton.

Sutton & Cheam led Sheffield 5-0 at one point but struggled after that to resist a persistent Sheffield recovery in a match that ended in a draw. Eventually, the only goal of the final period, by Sheffield’s Arshia Keyshabadi, left the sides locked at 8-8.
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​Dominique Zahra scored six and Finlay Nesbitt four as Caledonia opened their account with a 16-10 defeat of Watford. Caledonia lost 14-8 to Sheffield in their second match, never recovering from trailing 5-0 after the opening quarter. Chris Armstrong was the lead Sheffield scorer, with six.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Steffan Williams, of Bristol, faces Exeter defender Will Barnicle at Haberdashers.

What a day for Hucknall’s Sam Joyce! He scored nine times in the opening match of the men’s Championship 2 programme at Haberdashers – without preventing opponents Cheltenham Spartans winning 14-11.

A few hours later, Sam was at it again. Another nine-goal haul! This time in a winning cause as Hucknall, trailing 7-2 early on, recovered to defeat Southampton 14-12.

At Bolton, Portobello made an impressive start to their campaign, beating Castleford 23-9. Ben Scott hit seven.

Luke Roche scored four as Manchester Hawks led Rotherham Metro from the start. Hawks were given a fright in the final period when Ben Greenhill’s fourth goal cut the lead to just 10-9. However, with both teams failing to convert man-up chances, that was how it stayed.
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Photo (Trevor Hyde): Sam Joyce nets from a penalty at Haberdashers today.

The British League‘s end-of-season Champions Cup will be staged at the Alan Higgs Centre, Coventry, on 13/14 May and include an exciting addition – the use for the first time of flying subs, as outlined in FINA rules.

The tournament (qualifiers are the top four men’s and women’s clubs in the Super 5s) was launched last year and proved a huge success. City of Manchester won the men’s event while Liverpool Lizards pulled off a thrilling single-goal victory over Manchester in the women’s final.

In another change that brings the Champions Cup into line with FINA rules, this year’s men's matches will be played over a 30m pitch.

Champions City of Manchester eased to their second win in the women's Super 5s at Aldershot, beating Hucknall 14-5. Izzy Howe (4), Harriet Dickens (3) and Brooke Tafazolli (3) led the scoring. 

Liverpool Lizards slipped to their second defeat - 9-6 against Coventry, who were in control after building a 5-1 lead in the second period thanks to goals by Mathilde Ribordy (3), Amy Berry (2) and Vicki Hawkins.

After losing on day one, Manchester's men hit back with an 11-6 victory over Cheltenham, who always trailed after conceding goals in the opening quarter to Dan Paddon (2) and Connor Lynch. Penguin hammered Lancaster 24-14, Tilemachos Pissas scoring eight of his nine goals in the first two periods.

In women's Championship 1 at East Manchester, Sheffield Sharks beat Cheltenham 16-9 to complete a hat-trick of wins. Amelia Peters' five goals boosted her weekend tally to 11.

After cruising through the first phase of the season as undefeated men’s Division 1 table-toppers, the Super 5s proved a much tougher challenge for Penguin, who will feel relieved to have scraped a point in their opening match against Cheltenham at Aldershot by the skin of their teeth.

Cheltenham, it seemed, were cruising to victory when they led 9-6 in the final period. The score stayed that way until Andrea Tuli scored with 1.54 to go. No need to panic . . . until Tilemachos Passas reduced the lead to 9-8 with 44 seconds remaining. Penguin attacked again and equalised through Tulli - with just two seconds remaining on the clock!  
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Polytechnic launched the Super 5s in dramatic style, defeating champions City of Manchester 12-10. 

Victory repeated Poly’s success against Manchester in the first phase of the season. Once again, there was little between the sides for much of the game. Manchester were actually a goal ahead on five occasions before the match progressed to 7-7 midway through the third period.
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The London side then took over, charging into a 12-8 lead with goals by Kimon Haralambous, Giacomo Cupido, Tim Rezelman (2) and Jordan Rumbelow. Joe O’Regan scored five for Manchester.

Later, Poly eased to a second win - 23-7 against Lancaster. Leading scorers were Liam Neill (5), Sergio Schiaffino (4) and Kimon Haralambous (4). 

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Andrea Tulli lines up a shot against Cheltenham. The Cheltenham defender is Tom Hunt.

Otter produced a storming finish to defeat Liverpool Lizards 17-14 in the women's Super 5s at Aldershot today.

The game was on a knife edge at 13-13 with four minutes to go. Then Otter moved up a gear, scoring through Emily Campbell, Niamh Moloney and Lauren Charter to clinch the points.

Earlier, Otter were held to an 8-8 draw by Hucknall, who were making their Super 5s debut. It was close from the start. Halfway through the final period, a goal by Emma Fraser edged Hucknall into an 8-7 lead – answered shortly afterwards by an equaliser from Sarah Snyder, her fifth strike of the game.

Champions City of Manchester beat Coventry 10-7 thanks mainly to a dominant third period, featuring goals by Izzy Howe (3), Brooke Tafazolli (2) and Millie Boucher. 

​In women’s Championship 1 at East Manchester, five-goal Amelia Peters led Sheffield Sharks to a 13-7 victory over Liverpool Liver Birds. Holly Toone scored eight in Tyldesley's 18-13 win against Rotherham Metro.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Otter's Milly Wordley (white cap) battles with Lauren Charter in the match against Liverpool. 

The death has been announced of former Watford and Polytechnic player Tony Love, at the early age of 70. He was a member of the all-conquering Poly team of the 1970s, champions on many occasions of the former men’s National League.

Stephen Baker, Past Chairman NWPL, writes: “Tony was an outstanding junior for Watford, with a withering shot and great ball handling. His water polo career was affected by his choice of profession in hospitality and catering, which involved working unsocial hours – he was an excellent chef, starting at the Savoy, then Grosvenor House, before becoming head chef working for Lord Brockett at Brockett Hall and latterly head chef at Harrington Hall, Brompton, London.

"Tony entertained Penguin at their annual dinner dance for many years at Harrington Hall and supported the National Water Polo by doing the cooking at the 40th anniversary celebrations in Cheltenham in 2002.
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"He was always great company and quick with a joke or witticism. He will be sorely missed.”

As already announced, the date of the League's annual general meeting is Sunday, 7 May. We can now confirm the venue - University of Warwick Conference Centre, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL. Noon start. 

​Deadline for nominations for officers and rule change proposals is 23 March. 

John Martin-Dye, a dual Olympian and double international at swimming and water polo, has died, aged 82. He played his entire polo career for Penguin during a very successful period for the club, including the first decade of the former men’s National League, and in more recent years was a member of Watford.

John enjoyed a glittering swimming career, including the 1960 and 1964 Olympics.

Successes included a silver medal in the 4 × 100m freestyle relay at the 1962 European Aquatics Championships; fourth place in the 4 × 200m relay at the 1960 Olympics (in what was then a new European record); bronze for England in 440 yds and 880 yards freestyle relays at the 1962 Empire and Commonwealth Games in Australia; another Empire Games relay bronze in 1966.

He excelled at ASA Championships, winning 110 yards, 220 yards and 440 yards freestyle titles in 1961; he also won the 440 yards in 1960 and 1963 as well as the mile event in 1963.
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His son Graham, also an ex-GB water polo international, says: “John was an amazing father! His ethic in life was inspirational. He always worked hard to achieve anything, and never gave up. He lived life and travelled the world. He was always there for me and supported me in anything I wanted to do. He gave so much of his time back to sport and the community.”

Photo: A young John Martin-Dye with some of his trophies.

To see John in action at the 1965 West European Championships at Crystal Palace, go to  https://www.britishpathe.com/video/britain-beat-spain