Lucy Blenkinsop scored five as City of Manchester launched their defence of the women's League title with a runaway 20-6 victory over Coventry at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, today. Also in Division 1, Otter defeated Hucknall 18-7, including a five-goal haul by Rebecca Mulcahy.

Penguin Emperors' return to the top division ended in defeat at the first attempt - 15-10 to Liverpool Lizards. 

In Division 2, Exeter trailed Tyldesley 4-2 after the first period but hit back to win 10-7. Maisie Standen (4), Elsie Graves (3) and Holly Campbell (3) were the leading scorers for Mid Sussex Marlins, 14-8 winners against Rotherham Metro.

In an excellent start to the women's Division 3 campaign, Watford edged out Kirkintilloch & Kilsyth 13-12 when a breakaway goal by Charlotte Winstanley - her fourth of the game  - clinched the points 1.56 from the end.

Photo: Never too late . . . it's a while since Denry Leighton was awarded the Dave Warriner Memorial Trophy for outstanding service to the League and water polo in general. But, for various reasons, the actual presentation wasn't possible until this weekend's event at Ponds Forge. Our picture shows League official Mike Hesketh (right) doing the honours. 

Drama, drama all the way! Bridgefield found themselves 9-1 down at the start of the second period to Watford Saxons in men’s Division 4 at Bolton, yet still managed to stage a sensational recovery to win 15-13.

It was Bridgefield’s second victory of the weekend – an encouraging start, especially as new recruit Tom Curwen, the League’s top goal scorer during many outstanding seasons with Lancaster, was unable to make his BWPL debut for his home club due to work commitments.

Watford’s high-powered start featured a hat-trick by Danny Davis. After that, it was a case of Bridgefield playing catch-up, steadily reducing the deficit – they trailed 9-6 after two quarters and eventually took the lead for the first time thanks to a Brian Parks penalty on 5.27 in the final period.

It was 13-13 when skipper Wayne Davis equalised for Watford with just 1.13 remaining. And that heralded a dramatic finish as Alex Saunders (Photo: Trevor Hyde) scored his fourth and fifth goals of the game – in the last 13 seconds!

Experienced Chris Taylor followed up his seven-goal spree for Newport against the British Army on day one with nine more as Newport defeated Tyldesley 17-11. Miha Fakin scored four in Avondale’s 13-7 win against Caledonia Storm.

Only Bridgefield and City of Birmingham won both their games. Nathan Wilkes netted five in Birmingham's 15-8 success against the British Army.

A man-up goal 35 seconds from the end by Brian Parks earned Bridgefield a hard-fought 11-10 victory over Avondale in men’s Division 4 at Bolton.

Avondale had led for much of the game – 6-3, 8-6, then 10-8 with just over two minutes to go. Peter Love, then skipper Tom Grieve, brought Bridgefield level with 1.12 remaining before Parks hit the winner.

Birmingham, 14-1 winners against Tyldesley, look a lot stronger this season, having added the likes of goalkeeper Jim Alton and Ryan Padbury to their squad – both members of the Solihull team that captured the League title in 2018.
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Watford Saxons and Caledonia Storm drew 14-14, a Craig Stewart penalty salvaging a point for the Scots just five seconds from the end. The British Army trailed Newport 8-7 after two periods, but eight goals in the third set up a comfortable Army victory – 22-18.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Ryan Padbury, scored twice in Birmingham's victory over Tyldesley. 

The opening weekend of the British League season proved a lot busier than normal for Worthing’s coach, Alastair Roberts.

After guiding his team to victory over Castleford on day one at Haberdashers, he headed for Birmingham to attend British Swimming’s annual awards presentations, where, much to his surprise, he picked up the Water Polo Coach of the Year accolade. After that, duty called – and he was back on the road again in time for Worthing’s early morning clash with Sedgefield.

His reaction to the award? “It’s a little bit embarrassing,” he said. “I don’t know why I was nominated. I’ve never had ambitions to coach at a higher level – for me, it’s been very much a one-club thing since I started swimming with the Worthing club as a five-year-old. Water polo followed at about the age of 12 and, at 63, I’m still involved. Maybe the award just recognises longevity and bloody-mindedness to make things happen.”
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Probably the most satisfying element for Alastair has been the successful development of Worthing’s junior programme, run by a strong team. Worthing’s squad against Sedgefield included six juniors – all members of the NAGs under-17 title-winning side in 2022 and the under-19s this year. More talent will no doubt follow – thanks to a steady feed from the Drenched Mini Polo initiative launched across Sussex by ex-Worthing player Matt White.

Worthing left it until the last very last minute to grab a dramatic point in an 11-11 draw with Sedgefield in men's Division 3 at Haberdashers today.

Sedgefield led from the start - 5-2 in the second quarter, 8-5 in the third. The advantage went to 11-8 when Ryan Griffiths scored for Sedgefield midway through the final period.

Worthing's young team refused to give way. Goals by Joao Martins and Henry Broadhurst cut the Sedgefield lead to 11-10 with just over a minute remaining. The equaliser - the first time Worthing had been level since the start of the match - came just 29 seconds from the end when Martins converted a penalty.

Croydon defeated Castleford 11-8, breaking clear in the final quarter with goals by Steve Leathwood, Bren Heath and Kevin Steele.

A day of close finishes ended with Rotherham Metro's Ben Greenhill and Henry Jackson both scoring twice in the last period to clinch a 12-9 success against Chheltenham Spartans. Otter and Manchester Hawks drew 10-10 - Orion Ganase's man-up score near the end salvaged a point for the London team.

Otter recovered from 11-9 down at the end of the third period to defeat Rotherham Metro 14-12 in men's Division 3 at Haberdashers today.

The recovery was led by left-hander Nicholas Corjon, whose three goals levelled the score at 12-12 midway through the final quarter. Otter goalie Alex Davies made three vital saves as Rotherham rallied, but the London side edged ahead with 2.39 to go when skipper Orion Ganase converted a man-up chance. The final Otter goal was added just four seconds from the end.

Manchester Hawks stole a 13-12 victory against Cheltenham Spartans, hitting back from 4-1 down in the first quarter to lead 8-5 after two, mainly thanks to a four-goal spurt from Tom Roche. Cheltenham were briefly level at 10-10 in the final quarter, but Hawks then broke clear again with goals by Sam Fitzsimons (2) and Luke Roche. 

Earlier, John Pratt scored eleven as Sedgefield walloped Croydon 28-12. Worthing beat Castleford 11-6, controlling much of the game after building a 4-1 lead in the first period. Left-hander George Wood scored four.

Following lengthy discussions, BWPL and Swim England have agreed a protocol that offers a more simple and streamlined process to clubs wishing to raise complaints regarding potential breaches of LEN International Transfer Certificate regulations.
 
The League Chairman, David Andrews, has already written to all BWPL clubs explaining more of the detail. See also BWPL website information section, https://www.bwpl.org/len-itc.html
 
The website information page also contains an important section featuring guidance on the new Swim England Team Manager, Coach and Chaperone Policy. See https://www.bwpl.org/se-tmcc-policy.html