General News
SCOTT IS A BIG HIT IN OZ!
Scott Carpenter has repeated his spectacular goal-scoring exploits for NWPL champions Lancaster in Australia, where he helped inspire Victoria Tigers to their first national title in 18 years.
After playing recently for GB in the European Championship qualifiers in Romania, Scott returned to Australia for the play-offs in Sydney, arriving just seven hours before the first game.
He ended his first pro season with the Tigers as third leading goalscorer in the championship with 62 - impressive for a player who appeared in five fewer games than others in the list. The top marksman with 69 was Australia's Olympic captain, Sam McGregor, a Tigers clubmate. Not surprisingly, the Tigers are keen for Scott to return next year.
In 2006, Scott became the first player in the NWPL top division to score 100 goals in a season, repeating the feat the following year. Back in 1986, his father, George, was the first player in any NWPL division to amass a ton of goals in one campaign - for Durham.
ALL-MANCHESTER THRILLER IN BUCS FINAL
The quality of play at the BUCs (British Universities & Colleges Sport) finals at Ponds Forge, Sheffield (12/14 March), was higher than ever this year, as demonstrated during a magnificent men's championship decider - a hotly-contested derby between the University of Manchester and Manchester Met.
The Met appeared out of it in the third period when four goals by Will Middleton swept Manchester into a 10-5 lead. But, with the tension rising, Joe O'Regan, voted Player of the Tournament, scored three times to reduce the final margin in favour of the University of Manchester to 10-9. O'Regan is pictured in NWPL action for City of Manchester against Bristol Central.
Bristol took third place by virtue of a superior goal difference after drawing 9-9 with Oxford. Oxford fought back from 8-5 down after two periods to level with just over a minute to go. Both teams had lost their matches against the two Manchester sides.
Cardiff won an evenly contested women's championship - but only after suffering a scare in their final match against Cambridge, who led 7-4 in the third. Cardiff recovered to win 9-7; then Birmingham secured runners-up spot, beating Loughborough 10-9 in another nail-biting affair. Results:
Men's Championships: Bristol 11 Manchester Met 14, Oxford 8 Manchester 14, Oxford 10, Manchester Met 14, Bristol 8 Manchester 12, Manchester 10 Manchester Met 9, Bristol 9 Oxford 9. Women's: Loughborough 10 Cardiff 11, Birmingham 9 Cambridge 6, Birmingham 3 Cardiff 6, Loughborough 17 Cambridge 8, Cambridge 7 Cardiff 9, Loughborough 9 Birmingham 10.
Men's Trophy: St Andrew's 12 Plymouth 11, Imperial 13 Sheffield 12, St Andrew's 9 Sheffield 18, Imperial 24 Plymouth 11, Plymouth 9 Sheffield 18, St Andrew's 13 Imperial 17. Women's: Leeds 19 UCL 4, Bristol 12 Liverpool 6, Bristol 17 UCL 6, Leeds 13 Liverpool 8, UCL 10 Liverpool 12, Bristol 12 Leeds 10. Men's Shield semi-final: Glasgow 8 MMU 11. Final: MMU 9 Bath 19.
LANCASTER CHALK UP ANOTHER DOUBLE SUCCESS
National League champions Lancaster completed another double triumph when they defeated Bristol Central 13-7 in the final of the British Championships at Manchester Aquatics Centre (21 Feburary).
The result was never really in doubt once four goals from Tom Curwen helped Lancaster to a 6-1 lead in the first period.
Bristol, however, will be satisfied with their first appearance in the finals after a three-year absence. A fine team performance ensured a 10-7 victory over City of Manchester in the semi-final. Lancaster beat Rotherham 13-8 in the other semi-final.
Rotherham claimed the bronze medal position with a narrow 9-8 success against Manchester.
In the women's competition, City of Manchester defeated West London Penguin 8-7 in the final.
