With Sheffield playing Liverpool just an hour after the Lancaster game, somebody would win the league before the end of the day. There was, however, an air of defeat amongst the boys, before they had even gotten wet.
Despite sitting level in terms of points, there was an unbridgeable gap in goal difference and Sheffield were playing a Liverpool side thought to be considerably inferior. Regardless, the team met outside the Henry Daysh at 9am and boarded their bus.
The game kicked off and through a great set up from coach Adam Graham, Newcastle scored 13, with the ‘Sensei’, Ben Dixon only allowing 9 past him in goal. In a win which James Lamb proclaimed to have, “never been in doubt” (Lancaster won 0 games all season, so it’s a bit of an obvious statement), the boys had done their part.
Newcastle scored 13, with the 'Sensei' Ben Dixon only allowing 9 past him in goal
All that was left to do was wait. Before the result of the Sheffield game was released, Captain Alistair McKinnon thanked everyone individually for their contributions throughout the season with Jasper Kent returning the favour in a heartfelt speech. Then, seemingly out of the blue, Alistair received a phone call from the Sheffield captain, and it was confirmed. Newcastle where the Northern Tier One champions.
The team had their fairy-tale ending
In a shock upset, Sheffield had capitulated and lost 15-10. Chants of, “championes, championes”. rang out down the M6, as the boys made their way back home victorious. In a season of highs and lows, where an earlier loss to Sheffield had cast a dark cloud over the campaign, the team had their fairy-tale ending. The win was made ever so sweeter, by the fact that this would be Harry Gabriel and Alistair’s final game for the club.
A further congratulations is in order for Ali, after he implemented the first ever seven-man arc to be successful in a water polo match. A massive well done to the men's first team, not just champions but also as the only Newcastle Water Polo team to win more than one game this season.