In 2012, Miho Boskovic famously starred as Croatia claimed water polo gold at the London Olympics. Today, he was back in the UK - playing for Watford in the British League's men's Championship 2.

Boskovic, 36 yesterday, retired from top competition some time ago. But he was happy to turn out for Watford and demonstrate that players of his calibre (108 caps and voted LEN Player of the Year in 2007 and 2012) rarely lose the ability to mesmerise even the most determined defence.

Watford won 14-9, with their star import scoring three in the first period and adding a couple more before taking a rest. 

This weekend sees matches in men's Championship 2 and 3 at Watford and Gloucester. The Championship 2 clash between London rivals Penguin and Otter produced a real thriller. Penguin built a 4-1 lead early in the second period, but Otter hit back to go 8-6 up before the teams ended all square at 9-9 at the end of the third. The final period was a tense affair with Penguin taking the points at 12-11 thanks to goals by Taka Ota (Photo: Trevor Hyde), Lorenzo Cacciola and Andras Kovacs. Cacciola and Kovacs both scored four, as did Nicholas Corjon for Otter.

Later, Watford beat Penguin 13-9 - just one goal this time from Boskovic - and Bristol collected their second win, defeating Worthing 12-9. It meant that only Watford and Bristol survived the first day in Championship 2 without dropping a point.

In Championship 3, Cheltenham Spartans are the early pacesetters, following up 14-9 defeat of Birmingham with a 19-13 success against Tyldesley. Rotherham hammered Cambridge 19-3. York recovered from 8-4 adrift to draw 10-10 with Castleford. Birmingham also wiped out a 9-6 deficit to beat Bridgefield 13-10. 

Coventry, 7-4 adrift after two quarters, hit back to beat Caledonia Storm 11-9 in men's Championship 4 at Haberdashers today. The Midlanders scored three times without reply in the third period to level the match at 7-7, then finished strongly with goals my Matt Hannah (2), Sarunas Beleckas and Sam Goodwin.

Invicta Marlins won for the first time - 11-10 against Leeds. The final quarter began with the teams locked at 8-8; then goals by Doug Sheppard, Jamie Bailey and James Spencer-Boyce gave Marlins the points. Quinn Walker and Matt Bottomley notched hat-tricks for Leeds. Four goals by Tom Endy, including a third period hat-trick, took Hucknall to an 8-5 victory against Watford Saxons. 

After drawing against Coventry and Watford Saxons, the British Army took their weekend points tally to four with a 12-6 win against Sheffield Dolphins. Nick Covington scored four and Mike Chadwick and Adrian Davey three apiece.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Josh Silverbeck, one of the goal-scorers for Watford Saxons against Hucknall.

We're off again - the start of the second phase of another exciting British League season!

Early drama was provided in men's Championship 4 at Haberdashers as City of Coventry and the Army drew 10-10. It was a close match all the way through, decided in the last two minutes when Nick Covington's seventh goal edged the Army into a 10-9 lead - only for Ashley Keen to claim a Coventry equaliser. 

Hucknall led 6-1 after the first quarter against Caledonia Storm - including four goals by Tom Endy - on the way to a 9-7 win.

In women's Championship 2 at Newport, five goals from Nia Sanders earned Welsh Wanderers a 7-4 victory over Penguin Emperors. Andrea Norris contributed four in English Roses' 7-2 defeat of Southampton. In their second match, Penguin Emperors led Southampton 5-4 after three quarters but lost 6-5 after conceding late goals from Kimberley Gray and Aime Park.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Invicta Marlins' goalkeeper James Blything makes a fine save against Watford Saxons at Haberdashers today, but he couldn't prevent Watford taking the points with a 7-3 win.