Poland earn last-grasp win over britain
12th July 2007by British Swimming
A dramatic goal 2.4 seconds from time led to a 9-8 defeat of Great Britain by Poland on Day Four of the LEN European Nations Trophy at Manchester Aquatics Centre.
However, the match was marred by two controversial moments in the final 30 seconds when two refereeing decisions went against Britain. Coach Eelco Uri is likely to protest after venting his frustrations on the final buzzer.
Firstly, Poland's Robert Sekula - one of three Poland players to foul out of the game - failed to exit the pool in the correct way - a move which should have seen a penalty awarded to Britain. Then, after Poland's strike, Britain were denied the chance to set up an attack in an attempt to find an equaliser following a time out.
It was a thrilling contest, level right until the moment of Tomasz Rozycki's winner, his fourth of the game. Cheltenham's Alex Parsonage and Lancaster's Tom Curwen each scored twice, Curwen taking his tally for the competition to 19.
Rotherham centre forward Adam Scholefield caused Poland trouble early on, winning two extra-man opportunities and from the second Cheltenham's Rob Parker received the ball from club-mate Alex Parsonage to open the scoring.
Parsonage was alert to feed Mark Banwell, who had won the exclusion of Wojciech Leszek - his second of the game - to fire a quick second goal. But then Poland hit back. Rozycki drilled the ball beyond Manchester goalkeeper Ed Scott from the right wing, and Rozycki scored his second to level.
Left-hander Parsonage turned from provider to finisher when he scored from the right wing after Scholefield had been fouled by Marek Debski. Britain doubled their advantage when Scott fed Parker on the fast break who in turn found Curwen, and the Lancaster man scored his first of the game.
Scott denied Piotr Wojcik before Poland pulled one back when Marcin Scierwicki's shot was deflected under Scott's arm. Poland scored again when Rozycki converted following Craig Figes' major.
Uri called a time out when Wojcik was excluded and from the resulting man-up Parsonage claimed his second of the game. Wojcik equalised again for Poland as the half ended all-square.
Poland tried to impose themselves on the host nation with a physical press in the third period and they took the lead when Rafal Wocik scored an outside shot.
Midway through the quarter, Banwell was fouled by Adam Perka and Curwen scored from the five-metre penalty mark to level. But Poland edged in front once more through Perka's shot from six metres. Figes replied with a goal from the centre forward position to equalise with 1 minute 20 seconds to go in the third.
Leszek received his third personal foul before Scott denied Wojcik with a fabulous reflex save. Michal Bar and Debski were excluded simultaneously, with the latter earning his third major, and Scholefield put Britain ahead.
Sekula fed Wojcik to equalise before receiving his third exclusion. Poland called a time-out with 20.2 seconds remaining after Britain had failed to convert the man-up. Wojcik did not leave the pool through the exclusion box and was substituted. Britain should then have been awarded a penalty, but the referees failed to intervene.
From the Polish time-out Rozycki scored from the left wing, Scott half-blocking the shot which had too much power and travelled over the line with 2.4 seconds remaining.
Britain used their second time out, but again time elapsed before they could set up their attack and the game was lost.
Result: 8-9 (2-2; 3-3; 2-2; 1-2)
Great Britain: 1 Ed Scott, 2 Sean Ryder, 3 Mark Banwell (1 goal), 4 Scott Carpenter, 5 Craig Figes (Capt, 1), 6 Andrew Squires, 7 Alex Parsonage (2), 8 Tom Curwen (2), 9 Rob Parker (1), 10 Adam Scholefield (1), 11 Chris Gilbertson, 12 Matthew Thresher, 13 Matthew Birch
Poland: 1 Michal Diakonow (Capt), 2 Marcin Scierwicki (1 goal), 3 Piotr Michalski, 4 Adam Perka (1), 5 Marek Debski, 6 Pawel Ulchurski, 7 Tomasz Rozycki (4), 8 Michal Bar, 9 Radoslaw Haraczko, 10 Robert Sekula, 11 Piotr Wojcik (2), 12 Wojciech Leszek, 13 Rafal Wocik (1)