South clinches polo in extra time

Press, 13 November 1982, Page 27

South clinches polo in extra time

The South Island wrestled the Bagley Polo Trophy from the North Island in a close, exciting encounter at the Royal Show in Christchurch yesterday. South clinched the winning goal in extra time, after the score was tied at 55 at the end of the fourth chukka. The win also gave South victory in the Thibenzole series, played over the three days of the show, by 3-4, 9-5, 6-5. North held a 2-1 lead at the end of the fast first chukka, but Roddy Wood (Ashley) equalised for South in the second, to tie the

scores at 2-2 at halftime. Wood hit off from South’s base line to start the third chukka, and Alan Calder (Amuri) picked the ball up nicely from near the sideline and put it between the pylons to give South a 3-2 lead. Less than a minute later. Paul Nelson (Hawke’s Bay) equalised for North. A flurry of goals at the end of the fourth chukka, including fine scores by Calder for South and Randal Sherratt (Poverty Bay) for North, tied the game at the end of normal play.

After a brief break, the players returned to the field for sudden-death extra time. After some tight and indecisive play near the sideline, Calder opened the game up with a shot to the middle which was swiftly picked up by Wood. He fired the ball towards North’s goal, where David Cambridge (Blenheim) was waiting to drive it home. The victory was revenge for South, which lost the Hagiey Trophy to North in similar circumstances at last year's Canterbury show, when North scored in extra time.