READING 17 HORNCHURCH 8By Rich LANNIK
Evening Post-sponsored Reading Water Polo team romped to victory at home to Hornchurch in front of their largest crowd of the season.
Having lost narrowly away to Hornchurch, Reading changed tactics for this match and reaped the rewards with a goal-feast, particularly for Steve Brown who scored 4 and Nick Harlin who scored 5 goals.
Despite this, Reading were made to work hard for the result. At the end of the first quarter the score was just 1-1, Dave Baxter scoring for Reading.
The second quarter saw Reading start to turn the screw with goals coming from all areas of the pitch. Old stager Paul Hancock began with a surprisingly close to goal shot. Further goals came from Mark Williams, David Mays, Brown, Baxter and 2 for Harlin.
Hornchurch were held to just 3 goals, thanks to a well organised drop defence and several saves by keeper Will Ottewell.
By the 3rd quarter the pattern for the match was truly set with Reading limiting the opposition to long shots and then breaking up the pool utilising the team’s pace. Harlin and Brown scored 2 more goals each to finish the quarter at 12-6.
In the final quarter Reading maintained the scoring level. Barry Johns finished off a man-up move, Brown forced another goal in, before Mays benefited from being part of the second wave on the break to claim 2 goals. Harlin finished the scoring with a late goal to leave Hornchurch well beaten at 17-8.
Anyone interested in playing Water Polo should contact waterpolo@readingswimclub.org