GB Hit Double Figures in plucky defeat to European Bronze
4th May 2012
The British Gas GBR Women’s Water Polo team were edged out of a scrappy second game against Hungary at the VISA International at the Olympic Water Polo Arena.
The Brits reached double figures for the first time at the Olympic venue but let their opponents slip away in the second and fourth quarters of the match.
The European bronze medallists – who secured their Olympic spot at the recent Qualification tournament in Trieste – eventually won through 17 – 10.
But after more than doubling their tally from their opening 10-4 defeat to Australia, British head coach Szilveszter Fekete admitted he was pleased with his team’s improvement in front of goal.
“It was a different game to yesterday,” said Fekete. “That was good defence but we were not very focused in attack.
“Today we were better, especially at the beginning. I think we were better in attack than yesterday but it was a good game for the girls to play and they will learn from it.”
Both teams traded punches in a dramatic first quarter with the Brits equalising four times before Hungary added one more to lead 5-4 at the first break.
Aine Hoy and Chloe Wilcox put home the first two equalisers from man-ups before Francesca Painter-Snell scored the Brits’ third from a 5m penalty and Lisa Gibson fought free and put home a cute lob for their fourth.
Hungary’s accuracy on the powerplays paid off in the second quarter as they pulled clear with four more goals before Snell gave the Brits hope with her second goal to make the score 9-5 at half-time.
The third quarter was the tightest of the game with each team adding three to their total before Hungarian goalkeeper Orsolya Kaso saved a penalty at the death.
Wilcox and Gibson added their second goals in the quarter while Fiona McCann also got in on the act to keep the score 12-8 with the crowd noise reaching new volumes in the Arena.
Hungary pulled clear in the final quarter with another five goals as the Brits resistance faded but Gibson completed her hat-trick with an audacious outside shot on the possession buzzer then added a fourth to take the Brits past double figures late on.
And Gibson admitted the crowd had played their part in spurring the team on in London.
“It was a great game to play in. It was a lot of fun and the crowd were absolutely phenomenal,” said Gibson.
“When we’re playing you don’t hear it because you’re focused on what you’re doing but when you score a goal, you hear the crowd and it really fires you up.
“It’s always nice to score goals so I’m happy with that. I know I’ve got things to work on though but it’s nice to have positives as well as that after a game.”
USA sealed their second win of the competition with a hard-fought 10-9 defeat of Australia in the other match on day two.
The World Cup Champions, America, will face Great Britain in the final round of group matches on Saturday.
-Ends-
The British Gas GBR Water Polo team were:
Robyn Nicholls (GK) – (City of Manchester)
Rosie Morris (GK) – (City of Liverpool)
Chloe Wilcox – 2 goals (City of Manchester)
Fiona McCann – 1 goal (City of Chester)
Francesca Painter-Snell 2 goals (London Penguin)
Hazel Musgrove – (Warrington)
Fran Leighton- (City of Sheffield)
Lisa Gibson – 4 goals (City of Manchester)
Aine Hoy – 1 goal (City of Manchester)
Vicki Hawkins – (Warley Wasps)
Angie Winstanley-Smith – (City of Manchester)
Ciara Gibson-Byrne – (City of Manchester)
Rachel Drabble – (City of Liverpool)
GOAL STATISTICS:
Q1 GBR 4 -5 Hun
Q2 GBR 5-9 Hun
Q3 GBR 8- 12 Hun
Q4 GBR 10 -17 Hun