Maranui wins N.Z. club water polo

Press, 31 December 1980, Page 3

Maranui wins N.Z. club water polo

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RAY CAIRNS

Maranui has convincingly won the first round of the New Zealand men’s club water polo championship. Even losing its first match of the Derry’s tournament at Queen Elizabeth 11 Park yesterday — to a Wharenui side which alternately ‘ blows hot and cold" — did not halt Maranui’s march to an. unassailable points tally. Should Maranui lose both its matches today — and that is not really likely — and should either Newmarket and BeckenhamSockburn win all of their three matches, the Wellington side would still be ahead, and thus have earned the major points. But below Maranui, the tournament is still fraught with excitement. Indeed, with Wharenui’s hard-earned nd dramatic victory, any of he other four teams could ake second place. Beckenham-Sockburn and Newmarket have the inside running — they have a lame in hand on the other two — but that makes for a tiring day for both of them. Whatever the outcome, it has been a desperately demanding tournament, probably not one that should be

[repeated, for under the [extended time, two games a day is the limit which [should be asked of any [team. Instead, some teams have had three hours play in less than eight. There were several highlights yesterday. Wharenui’s victor,’ over Maranui — the latter having concluded a clean sweep at the expense of Hutt — being matched by the dogged climb up the ladder by Beckenham-Sockburn after its first day horrors. Indeed. Beckenham-Sockburn recovered from a two-goal deficit to Maranui to actually lead the favourite by two goals, before slipping away tpcin to another two-goal loss. Even so, Beckenham-Sock-burn held that good form together to beat Hutt — which had a miserable day — by five goals.

Points, with Beckenham-Sock-burn and Newmarket both having a game In hand, and with goals for and against In parentheses, are:— Maranui 16 (102-72), Becken-ham-Sockburn 9 (83-84). Newmarket 9 (96-102). Hutt 7 (93-108), Wharenui 7 ( 70-35). Results:— Round two Newmarket 12 (P. Montgomerie 3. M. A. Grooby 3. R. Sherburne 3. R. Allen, C. Elliott). Hutt ♦ (S. R. Williams 3, R. E. McConnochie

J. A. Conroy J, G. F. Duffy, L. Bergmani. Maranui 12 (R. M. Paterson 3, P. W. Dyson 3. J. Shelthdar 3, W. E. Mills 2. C. J. Jarvis. K W Brodie'. Beckenham-Sockburn 10 <J. R. Davie 3, S. A. Ward 2. J. Marshall 2. D. J. Reid, M. A, Forbes. G. Barry). Round three Wharenui a (G. W. Campbell 3. C. 1. Lewis 2, J. N. Koens. S. J. Wakefield. B. M. Ferijoi, Newmerket B (Sherburne 3. Montgomerie 2. Groobv, Alien. T. Sandor', ! Maranui 10 (Jarvis 2. Mills 2. P. Dyson 2. A. R. Hesketh 2, Brodie. ;A. J. Fogel), Hutt S (Conroy 3, McConnochie, J. Paves'. i Beckenham-Sockburn 14 )Marshall 4. Davie 4, Ward 3. M. A. Harding 2. J. F. Boyce’. Hutt 0 (G. F. Duffy 3. Williams 3, Controy 2, McConnochie;. i Wharenui 4 (Koens 2. R. A, iClark 2. Lewis, Campbell).- Maranui 4 (Shekhdar, Jarvis, Paterfen, Dysom.