12 February 2020
By Brad Morgan
In a much-anticipated clash, the Kearsney College first team played host to water polo powerhouses Clifton College on Saturday in Botha’s Hill, with a lively crowd packing the venue for the clash.
Clifton, one of South Africa’s powerhouses of waterpolo and fresh from a tournament in Grahamstown, with plenty of games under their belt, settled quickly into their stride.
Kearsney responded well to the challenge, working some good scoring chances in the first half, but were ultimately undone by Clifton’s solid and relentless defence, and by taking wrong options a few too many times.
Comfortable halftime lead
Every time Kearsney made a mistake, Clifton, clinically, punished them to open up a commanding 7-1 advantage at the halftime break.
Kearsney College regrouped, though, and came out strongly in the third chukka. Showing composure and heart, they clawed their way back into the game and reduced the gap to four goals, at 4-8, with one more chukka to play.
However, with all-out attack and risk-taking the imperative in attempting to overcome the four-goal deficit, it was a bridge too far for the home team as Clifton comfortably contained the threat.
The visitors, in fact, conceded just one goal in the last stanza while manufacturing four of their own to finish the markedly stronger team and secure a convincing 12-5 victory.
A clean slate
It was a successful day for Clifton as they maintained a clean slate of victories throughout the other seven clashes, with Kearsney’s under-15 B team coming closest to causing an upset when they went down by only two goals.
SCORES
1st: Clifton 12-5 Kearsney
2nd: Clifton 10-2 Kearsney
3rd: Clifton 10-3 Kearsney
4th: Clifton 15-3 Kearsney
5th: Clifton 10-4 Kearsney
U15A: Clifton 6-1 Kearsney
U15B: Clifton 10-8 Kearsney
U14A: Clifton 12-0 Kearsney
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