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@emab
Saturday 7th November//Spinal Tap Out vs. Polonium 210//Hurlingham Park
West London meets itself and despite the light hearted nature of western play there is a sense from both teams to achieve beyond their performance to date. Hurlingham park is a buzz with sporting prowess and rugby hearts, but little attention is payed to that corner of the field where polo breathes.
Game One starts with Tap Out winning the charge and after some hesitation from both teams, the first goal of the game after a few minutes. Neither team lacks composure, however, there is a lack of focus. Polonium orbit unsuccessfully and on winning the ball fail to make the other half their own. Tap Out also at times appear desperate, shooting from far, including a few wild backswings from Ed. Although despite this, the game is punctuated repeatedly by the stronger play of Tap Out, the shooting partnership of Prav and Ed and some great saves from Aram.
Polonium start Game Two with a greater urgency, as Tom jumps the gun on the charge. But this urgency is not paired with ease, as Tom misses the ball, Polonium again fail to own the fairer half of the court. The teams are at a stale mate (largely due to some good body checking from Louie). The lack of a crowd means heckles come from the teams themselves, filling the game with a tension as tactics and demand are echoed across court. It is Polonium that break the match, and after a goal from each again, the score stands at 2:1 to Polonium, with moments slipping away. Tap Out start to play all out, yet each onslaught meets a stern defence from Polonium. As twenty seconds find themselves the last of their own, Ed finds the goal. As cries of golden goal seem to install some passion into the game, none such is found in the play, and indeed within a couple of minutes Tap Out find their game secure.
Tap Out want to own Game Three, they play in a ruthless manner, moving faster, taking more chances and being more aware of each other. However their defending weakens and after a goal is left vacant and some impressive reach from Tanya, Polonium take the lead. While Tap Out resolutely level, still their defence struggles; after a break from Louie Prav is forced to hurtle back, managing to intercept the mallet, but being himself hurled into a valiant mess. Again and again Polonium find their form, and while they are matched by Tap Out, it was Tom that took it past Ed and sent the ball crashing into the unrequited intentions of Tap Out. Polonium win.
The games were clean, with standard of play increasing game by game. Congratulations to both teams.
Game 1
SpinalTapOut: 5 (ed,ed,prav,prav,ed)
Polonium210: 0
**Game 2
**SpinalTapOut: **3 **(ed,ed,ed)
Polonium210: 2 (tom,louie)
Game 3
SpinalTapOut: 4 (aram,prav,ed,aram)
Polonium210: 5 (tanya,tanya,louie,tanya,tom)