Carlisle Aquatics sent a mixed junior team to Dunfermline on 27 May to play a
friendly water polo match in the newly modernised Carnegie Leisure
Centre.
Coaches
Andy Little and Paul Armstrong were expecting a tough game as
Dunfermline are currently the best junior team in Scotland with a
number of representative players including the junior Scottish centre
forward and goalkeeper.
Dunfermline
dominated the first quarter to take a 4-0 lead but Carlisle were
helped by the heroic defending of goalkeeper Rebecca Harby and her
defenders Rebecca Lightowler and Bryony Whitehead.
In
the second quarter, Carlisle adjusted to the pace of the game and
began to test the Dunfermline goalkeeper on a regular basis, forcing
him to make some top class saves. However after a long period of
sustained pressure and good build up play between Sarah Lightowler
and Callum Evans, Alex Armstrong was able to finish off the move with
a ripping shot into the top corner. Almost immediately afterwards
Carlisle scored again, this time after a passing move involving all
the team that ended with Sarah Campbell scoring into the bottom
corner to make it 4-2.
Dunfermline
then scored 4 consecutive goals from their powerful centre forward to
go into half time leading 8-2.
In
the third quarter, Carlisle tightened their defence and scored a
further 4 goals to 3 from Dunfermline. A new defensive formation of
Sam Abba, Natasha Hall and Oliver Bellingham began to dominate their
opponents and this freed up the midfield duo of Dan Tait and Callum
Evans who began to supply chance to the forwards, Lucy Wright and
Emily Wardough.
Carlisle’s goals
came from Rebecca Lightowler, Natasha Hall and two from Emily
Wardough.
In
the final quarter, both teams started to tire and chances were missed
at both ends but Dunfermline managed to score a further 2 goals to
run out eventual winners by 13-6.
Despite
the defeat, coaches Andy Little and Paul Armstrong were pleased with
the commitment and effort of all the players and work has already
began on improving game awareness and tactics in training.
A
big thank you to everyone who played especially after the long
journey. We hope your McDonalds was worth it on the way home.
