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AVP - Div 2 Polo Champions!!! |
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In the first ever Welsh Canoe Polo League, Amman Valley Paddlers, entered their senior polo team in division 2. The first competition was played at Newport swimming pool in March. The team played five games with five wins. The second competition was in April, same venue with the team winning two but then losing to Aberfan 7-1.
The final tournament was outdoors over the weekend of 28-29th April at Pembroke next to Pembroke Castle. On the Saturday morning, going into the tournament in second place behind Aberfan they had a bad start drawing 2-2 with Bridgend A. The day did get better with four more wins beating Narbeth 4-1, Croesyceiliog 6-2, Cardiff University B 3-1 and finally Cardiff University Girls team 7-1.
Sunday morning saw them playing three games and needing to win them all to take the tournament. The first game against Rhondda gave them a comfortable win 7-1. In the second game they beat Bridgend X 3-1. One game left and one win needed. Slight problem, it was Aberfan! The only team to have beaten them!
Congratulations to all the players and thanks to the support team for cheering them along and a special thanks to Nigel Midgley for all his hard work over the season. Hopefully his voice will return soon.
    
By pure coincidence this was the last game of the tournament and both teams required a win to take the title. It was a tough start with Aberfan taking an early lead. Just before half time, AVP scored but it was 2-1 against them. A quiet talking to by coach Nigel Midgley and soon into the second half it was 2-2. Almost at once Aberfan scored again but AVP came straight back making it 3-3. Two final minutes of hard play saw no more goals and the game was a draw.
This meant that both teams were still on level points, played 16, won 13, drawn 2 lost 1.When this happens the final positions are decided on the most goals scored. After what seemed like hours of waiting it was announced that AVP had won their first ever Welsh Canoe Polo Tournament.
Well done!!!!.
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