NAGS – Caledonia U/19 Girls – 1 - 2nd Mar

Published: 06 March 2025

Liverpool Aquatics Centre

Team and results:

Team	v City of Liverpool		v London Penguin		v Otter		v City of Bristol
	Score	2 - 14	Score	7-18	Score	6-16	Score	12 - 18
	Goals	Exc/Pens	Goals	Exc/Pens	Goals	Exc/Pens	Goals	Exc/Pens
1.Bea Meldrum				1
2.Erin Livie						1E	1
3.Ava Thornton				1	1
4.Libby Wallace			1		2	1E	1	1P 1E
5.Millie Wishart	1		2		1	1E	2	1P 1E
6.Eleanor Campbell		1P – 1E				2P+1E	1	2 E
7.Aimee Shaw		1E		1
8.Lucy MacNair		1P	3	2	1P	2P+1E	2+4P	1P
9.Ruby Reid				1
10.Lottie Affleck								1P
11.Grace Thomson Grieve		1P
12.Ksenia Mann	1	1E	1		1	2E	1

 

Game 1: v City of Liverpool

Periods	Scores	Man-up – 6 v 5	Man Down – 5 v 6	Pens for	Pens against	Possession Gained	Possession lost
Period 1	1 - 1	0/1				4/9	4/10
Period 2	0 – 6  (1 – 7)	0/2		0/1	0/1	3/11	6/11
Period 3	0 – 4  (1 – 11)	0/2	0/1	0/1	2/2	3/11	7/11
Period 4	1 – 3	0/2	1/2			3/12	6/12
Total:	2 – 14	0/7	1/3 67%	0/2	2/3 67%	13/43 30%	23/44 52%

Report Game 1:

Per 1: The team started this game strongly adopting and facing Press Defence. Scoring was at a minimum with defences on top. We did create 5 scoring opportunities in open play but missed all 5. We gained too an exclusion but missed the 6v5.

Per 2: Bea did well to save an early penalty but as C of L increased the intensity of their press defence our possession loss doubled as we struggled to get the ball to players in goal scoring positions. On losing possession, C o L counter attacked strongly and scored 6 without reply. We did well to gain 2 exclusions and a penalty but missed all 3.

Per 3: This period followed a similar pattern. We were unable to maintain possession of the ball often enough to establish consistent attacking threat and when we did, we again missed our shots and 2 man-ups and penalty gained. C of L scored 4, their 10th in a row.

Per 4: Although tiring, the team continued to work hard and we scored early to reduce arrears. Defensively we scrambled well and did not concede again until mid-way through the period. We gained a further 2 exclusions but could not score against a compact C of L defence. C of L scored 2 late goals for a deserved 14-2 win.

Game 2: v West London Penguin

Periods	Scores	Man-up – 6 v 5	Man Down – 5 v 6	Pens for	Pens against	Possession Gained	Possession lost
Period 1	2 - 4	1/2	2/2	0		1/9	7/10
Period 2	2 – 8 (4 – 12)	0/1		0		2/10	6/9
Period 3	2 – 2 (6 – 14)	1/2		0	1/2	3/11	5/10
Period 4	1 – 4	0/1	1/2	0	1/1	2/12	6/11
Total:	7 - 18	2/6 33%	3 / 4 25%	0	2/3 67%	8/42 19%	24/40 60%

 

Report Game 2:

Per 1: The team were competitive in this period against a very fast and mobile Penguin team. Despite trailing by 2 then 3 goals, we scored 2 of our own including our first 6 v 5 of the day to trail 2-4 at the period end.

Per 2: This was our most disappointing period of this first day. We were inaccurate in possession, 6/9 lost, struggled to jump to the ball under pressure allowing Penguin to counter-attack strongly and they scored 6 without reply with only 3 minutes into the period. After timeout the team did rally, drawing the last 4 minutes of the period 2-2. The damage was done however with Penguin leading 12-4 at the halfway point.

Per 3: Positively this rally continued into this period as we tried to be more accurate in possession (5/10), up the tempo of our attacking drives and be more mobile in our defending to cover their counter-attack and CF. Goals were shared 2 – 2 as we trailed 6-14 at the three quarter stage.

Per 4: Unfortunately, as the team tired, Penguin gained ascendancy again, as we became more careless in possession and missing our shot opportunities, to 4 goals in a row by just after the midpoint of the period. Positively, we continued to work hard to stem the opposition scoring and score the last goal of the game for a 7-18 defeat.

 

Game 3: v Otter

Periods	Scores	Man-up – 6 v 5	Man Down – 5 v 6	Pens for	Pens against	Possession Gained	Possession lost
Period 1	2 - 3	1 / 2	0/2	0	1/1	3/9	5/9
Period 2	1 – 7 (3 – 10)	1 / 2	1/1	0	2/2	2/10	8/10
Period 3	2 – 3 (5 – 13)	1 / 2	1/1	1/1	0	1/9	3/10
Period 4	1 – 3 (6 – 16)	1 / 2	2/4	1/1		2/9	3/9
Total:		4 / 8 50%	4/8 50%	2/2 100%		8/37 22%	19/38 50%

 

Report Game 3: This was a crunch game, as a win against Otter, who had also lost their 1^st 2 games, would have resulted in us qualifying for the U/19 NAGS Finals on 15/16 March. Unfortunately, an older more experienced Otter team stepped up and quashed our aspirations. Indeed, we did not lead at any time in the game and were well beaten.

Per 1: Otter went into an early 2-0 lead, but to be fair to our team, we defended more positively and attacked with more purpose as the period progressed and 2 goals from Libby and Ksenia to one from Otter reduced arrears to 2-3 at the period end.

Per 2: Just as per 2 was a low point on day 1, this period was another low point of our weekend. Adopting a strong player to player press we struggled to make any attacking impact and managed only shot from open play, forced only 1 exclusion and lost 80% of our possessions. Otter countered strongly and found their strong CF regularly to 6 goals in a row to effectively put us out of the contest. We pulled one back through Libby but Otter scored again for a 7-1 period score.

Per 3: Otter started on the ascendancy again scoring 2 quick goals to extend their lead to 3-12 but as in period 1 we fought back to win the last 5 mins of the period 2-1 with a double from Millie. Our possession retention was better in this period which helped us to limit Otter’s counter-attack options.

Per 4: Despite tiring our girls continued to work hard, restricting Otter to 2 goals during the 1^st 5 mins of the period. We still found scoring difficult although we did well to gain and score a penalty through penalty. Otter finished the scoring in the dying seconds to win deservedly 16-6.

 

Game 4: v City of Bristol

Periods	Scores	Man-up – 6 v 5	Man Down – 5 v 6	Pens for	Pens against	Possession Gained	Possession lost
Period 1	4 - 8	1 / 2		2 / 2	2 / 3	3 / 11	6 / 11
Period 2	3 – 3 (7 – 11)	1 / 2	0 / 2	2 / 2	1 / 1	3 / 9	2 / 10
Period 3	2 – 5 (9 – 16)	1 / 3	0	0	0	6 / 12	2 / 13
Period 4	3 – 2	2 / 3	1 / 3	0	0	3 / 12	1 / 11
Total:	12 - 18	5 / 10 50%	1 / 5 80%	4 / 4 100%	3 / 4 75%	15 / 44 34%	11 / 45 24%

 

Report Game 4: Playing unbeaten Bristol in the last game was a daunting task for a tired team. It is to the team’s credit however that they saved their best performance till last, scoring 12 goals and making a real game of it. To gain 10 exclusions and 4 penalties was an excellent effort against the undefeated tournament winners.

Per 1: This was a high scoring start to the game with 12 goals scored. Whilst Bristol scored 8 with strong counter-attacking, we showed much greater attacking intent gaining 2 exclusions, scoring 1 through Millie and 2 penalties both scored by Lucy, and a 4^th by Libby in the last 2^nd of the period.

Per 2: We continued to be competitive in per 2, gaining and converting 1 man-up through Libby and 2 penalties from Lucy to reduce arrears to just 3 at 7-10. Bristol did fight back towards the period end, scoring 2 and gaining 2 exclusions, but our team did really well to defend both 5v6’s for a 3-3 period scoreline and a 7-11 half-time scoreline.

Per 3: Bristol extended their lead before we gained and converted a man-up through Lucy. Perhaps recognising the threat we were posing, Bristol upped their game again, pressing hard and counter attacking to score 4 without reply. We kept going forward though and Ksenia pulled one goal back for a 2-5 period score.

Per 4: At the end of a very challenging and tiring weekend it was really pleasing that despite losing 2 goals at the start of the period that we kept working hard to gain 3 exclusions scoring 2 through Erin and Eleanor and then the last goal of the contest through Lucy.

 

Reflections:

Very well done to the team for fronting up against 4 difficult opponents over a challenging weekend. It was disappointing to not qualify for the finals but many of the opposition players were older and bigger, so it is pleasing that our team never gave up and kept trying to do their best under a great deal of physical pressure. It is clear from the scorelines that we are in an early stage of our development, so it is important now that we learn our lessons and find ways to get better. We need to consider the following:

• Increasing the intensity of our training both individually and collectively. We need to:
  • Improve the dynamism, mobility and endurance in our movements in both attack and defence to maintain the high tempo necessary to be a consistent goal threat and a strong defensive unit at this age group. This will involve both polo and swim training.
  • Work more dynamically to release from holding in order to receive and pass the ball on quickly and to kick up to shoot under pressure.
  • Improve the accuracy and tempo of our technical skills of pick up/catch, pass and shoot.
• We need to find time to work together as Team Caledonia to improve our attacking and defensive team structures. This will include man-up where we scored just 11 of the 31 6v5’s gained over the 4 games. It was clear that this aspect of our game improved over the course of the weekend having more time together.

 

Scottish National League U17s Boys Report 1 Mar

Published: 04 March 2025

Menzieshill / Dunfermline 18-9 Portobello

On Saturday afternoon 1 Mar we had Aaron, John, Euan, James, Harry and Toby line-up alongside their Menzieshill team-mates against rivals Portobello. The game was a perfect opportunity to rotate players and give less experienced and younger squad members lots of minutes, although this was a major positive it also led to a somewhat scrappy stop-start game.

Period 1 saw the teams trade goals in a 4-4 stalemate, with Bryn and John getting on the scoresheet. The second period saw a more controlled and dominant display from our boys with John and Bryn adding further scoring goals alongside James scoring a quick fire counter attacking brace of goals and opening up an 11-5 lead. The third quarter continued in the same vein with Aaron, Toby and Euan making significant contributions, whilst John, Bryn and James each grabbed their hat-trick goals. Euan finished the 3rd quarter with a well deserved goal to head into the final quarter 17-7 ahead. The final quarter allowed opportunity for players to try different positions and formations they hadn't previously operated and work hard on defensive structure.

Another step in the right direction for the team who are now looking towards the Scottish Cup later in the year with great anticipation. Congratulations to Aaron Bayne for picking up his second successive Coaches Player of the Match award.

Scottish National League - U15 Boys Report 2 Mar

Published: 04 March 2025

Portobello 15-10 Dunfermline

The second game of the league campaign had our young and inexperienced Dunfermline boys come up against a physical and more experienced Portobello team. Porty got off to a flyer and dominated the first quarter taking a 4-0 lead, Dunfermline had several attempts on goal but seemed to think they were in a crossbar challenge competition 😁

The boys re-grouped at the break and came out firing with much more structure and determination. Euan Ferrier scored Dunfy's opener with a strong drive and finish before Dominic Lazar scored a brace of goals, including the goal of the game with a stunning 9m lob. The 2nd qtr went the way of the Dunfermline boys 3-1 to take us into half time 6-3 and all to play for.

At the start of the 3rd period after losing Dominic to his 3rd major foul, Aaron Bayne made the switch to outfield and immediately began to contribute strongly at Centre Back, thus allowing Euan Ferrier and Logan Currie to make attacking drives into the Portobello danger zone. Goals from Euan, Logan and Aaron kept Dunfermline in the game, finishing a punishing 3rd quarter 10-6 down.

The final quarter saw was an extremely tough affair with senior players having to take time out of the pool with injuries. Nonetheless the young Dunfermline continued to fight on and go toe to toe with their opponents. Captain Euan Ferrier led by example with fantastic effort and bravery driving his team forward and nabbed two excellent finishes. Additional goals by the tireless Toby Hoblyn and industrious Logan Currie kept Portobello on their toes right until the very end. Congratulations to Maks and Natan Jankowski for making their club debuts only 3 weeks after being introduced to the sport, they put in a fantastic effort alongside their team-mates.

Another awesome learning experience for all involved, and another demonstration of working hard for each other - onto the next one 💙🤽🏻‍♂👏

Squad: Aaron Euan Logan Toby Billy Danny Arlo Luke Dom Maks and Natan

2024 Sports Council Awards

Published: 27 February 2025

Congratulations to our winners this evening - Services to Sport Jeanette and Richie Metcalfe, Joint Benny Hutton Award to Senior Male and Female Water Polo Teams. 

Well done to Zara Christie nominated for Sports Personality of the Year!