Blog Archives

REFEREE CRISIS!

31/10/2014

BWPL confirms today (31 October) that all three events planned on 8/9 November - at Lancaster, Luton and Gloucester - WILL go ahead.

Referee and table official numbers are currently so limited - no fewer than TWENTY NINE members of the referees' panel are not available - that the Committee at its meeting this week issued a warning that it might be necessary to postpone Championship 1 matches.

It was clear in the response received that clubs wish to play, if only to preserve pre-booked accommodation/travel etc. However, the decision to go ahead inevitably means the high standards that BWPL sets itself in providing the best available officiating will not be maintained in some instances. It is not a situation we wish to repeat and, already, there have been discussions regarding the restructuring of the League next season to avoid repetitions.

We ask for your support, patience and understanding in ensuring that games are satisfactorily completed.

CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES

29/10/2014

Men's Championship 1, 2, 3 and 4 fixtures are now published - see fixtures pages. These should be treated as provisional until early next week but have been listed now to assist teams' travel, hotel arrangements.

Second phase fixtures for women's divisions will be announced early next week.

OTTER AND CARLISLE SHARE POINTS

26/10/2014

There was never much between Carlisle and Otter in Division Three at Marlborough (26 October) and they shared a 12-12 draw after a dramatic finale.

A Sam Routledge goal, his fifth of the match, edged Carlisle into a 12-11 lead with 57 seconds remaining but, almost immediately, Carlisle had a player excluded and Nikolas Roussos claimed his fifth strike for the London team.

Five goals by young left-hander Kamz Powell set up Exeter's 13-9 victory over Hucknall.

Photo: Tom Redman, of City of Cambridge, in action at Marlborough. Photo: Darren Nash

BRIDGEFIELD MISS OUT

26/10/2014

Bridgefield's Paul Williams scored seven for his team in their Division Four clash with Watford at Marlborough today (26 October) and still ended on the losing side.

From 8-6 down at one stage, Watford hit back to win 11-9, with Hamish Hudson scoring four and Jason Attwood three. Cheltenham Spartans and York City reached half-time at 4-4, but York then took charge to win 14-5, including five goals from Chris Burns.

HOTCHKISS ON TARGET FOR WORTHING

26/10/2014

Worthing remained undefeated in Division Three after beating Carlisle 11-6 at Marlborough College (25 October). Shaun Hotchkiss (4) and Joao Martins (3) were their main marksmen.

Solihull, 17-10 winners against Exeter, have also not lost a match. The five qualifiers for Championship 2 are Solihull, Worthing, Hucknall, Carlisle and Exeter.

In Division Four, also at Marlborough, eight goals by John Rogers inspired Otter's 14-9 success against South Derbyshire. But both sides are destined for Championship 4 in the second phase of the season. The five qualifiers are York City, Watford, Cheltenham Spartans, Southampton and Bridgefield.

CHELTENHAM QUALIFY

25/10/2014

Cheltenham Spartans beat Bridgefield 17-14 in men's Division Four at Marlborough College today (25 October) to clinch a top five place and progress to Championship 3 in the second phase of the season.

Bridgefield, who have already qualified, trailed most of the match before reducing the Cheltenham lead to 15-14 in the last quarter. Goals in the last 70 seconds by Solomon Robson and Andrew McAllister steadied Cheltenham nerves.

In Division Three, leaders Solihull defeated Exeter 17-10. Phil Powell scored four of the Midlanders' goals and there were three apiece for Tom Whiting, Peter Farkas, Jordan Elliott and Ben Greenhill.

CHAMPIONSHIP PLACES UP FOR GRABS

24/10/2014

It's crunch time this weekend (25/26 October) for clubs in men's Division Three and Four as they bid to clinch Championship places in the second phase of the season.

Solihull and Worthing are already guaranteed Championship 2 progress after their excellent starts to the Division Three campaign. Also sure of top five places in Division Four are York City, Watford and Bridgefield.

BWPL PLAYER HANDED KEY ASA ROLE

21/10/2014

The ASA has appointed Exeter's James Baker as Manager of its new Water Polo Management Group, which is set the challenge of "leading the discipline going forward."

James will be familiar to most clubs in the BWPL - he's a regular player with Exeter in Division Three, although perhaps better known nationally for his role in helping guide the development of youth players in Exeter as well as Devon and the wider South West.

The ASA has also instructed independent consultant Dr Neil Tunnicliffe, a former Rugby League CEO who worked with UK Sport on planning for the 2012 Olympics, to undertake a review of the discipline, after which James will lead a group responsible for the direction water polo in this country should take in the future.

LANCASTER EASE INTO SUPER FIVES

21/10/2014

Lancaster joined Cheltenham in qualifying for the men's Super 5s after maintaining a 100 per cent record with two narrow wins - 12-10 against Portobello and 10-9 against champions City of Manchester - at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh.

The remaining three positions are still up for grabs and so there will be a scramble for points when the Division One finale takes place at Cardiff International Pool on 1/2 November. Portobello, who also lost 13-12 to City of Sheffield - the Yorkshire club's first victory of the campaign - grabbed a lifeline by defeating Manchester 7-5.

With five points, one less than Manchester and Bristol Central, Portobello are still reasonably placed to retain a Super 5s spot, but may need at least a point from two games at Cardiff (against Cheltenham and Bristol) to fend off the challenge of either Sheffield or Invicta, who clash during that weekend.

In Division Two, Team Northumbria picked up maximum points again in Edinburgh, defeating Caledonia 12-10, Manchester Hawks 10-6 and Birmingham 19-10. Northumbria, Caledonia and Sutton & Cheam have already qualified for Championship 1.

DEATH OF MIKE TAMLYN

21/10/2014

Mike Tamlyn, an influential figure during the decades that Bristol Central developed from local league club to one of the top BWPL men's teams, has died following a long illness.

The father of Rhys Tamlyn - the former international who became a referee and leading coach - Mike, aged 80, was also a player and referee who had coached and managed the Central team. The funeral takes place at Westerleigh Crematorium, South Gloucestershire, on Friday, 31 October, 12.30pm.

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