CHRISTCHURCH and New Milton Seagulls came within three goals of a tournament victory at Basingstoke as they continued their rapid rise through the ranks of water polo.

Seagulls’ under-15 Academy squad thumped Andover 10-0 and Worcester 13-1 in their group games in the Red Cross tournament.

This earned them a place in the final against pre-tournament favourites Croydon.

Seagulls were 4-3 down at the halfway point but quickly drew level through a pit move rehearsed in the training pool, then went ahead after a fast counter attack.

With supporters of both teams on their feet and drowning out the coaches’ instructions, Seagulls found themselves under relentless pressure.

In the closing minutes of the encounter, Croydon drew level with a disputed penalty and Seagulls hit the woodwork before three late goals gave Croydon an 8-5 victory.

Seagulls’ coach Rob Webber said: “My players are disappointed and that’s a mark of where we are.

“But coming second in this company is no disgrace.

“I couldn’t ask more of them – they have given absolutely everything.”

Seagulls Academy squad: Kyle East, Megan Fletcher, Beth Kingsley, Mikey Kingsley, Cianan Mann, Jackson Mullins, Kathy Rogers, Charlie Roberts, James Stephenson, Natasha Webber.

HARRISON Kemp provided three of Poole’s 24 wins as they won a three-cornered teaching gala at Wareham.

He won the 10yrs 25m breaststroke and stepped up two age groups to win the 12yrs 25m butterfly and 50m freestyle.

Matthew Cochrane was involved in six wins, taking both the 10yrs and the 11yrs 25m backstroke and contributing to four of Poole’s 10 relay victories.

Other individual winners were Keiran Stott, Joseph Peters, Lewis Harding, Alex Bourne, Emily Olive, Lauren Smith, Leone Wiehle, Stephanie Anwyll, Heather Buchanan, Elizabeth Brednya and Emma Majason.

Result: 1 Poole 103, 2 Bere Regis 92, 3 Bournemouth SC 86.

ONE-time Olympian Dave Hembrow, 64, set two excellent times to lead a five-medal tally for Littledown Masters at the South West Masters Championships at Weston-super-Mare.

He won the 60-64yrs 200m and 400m freestyle in 2min 26sec and 5:05.

Carol Moss knocked 10 seconds off her best time to take bronze in the 55-59yrs 400m freestyle in 6:25 and an hour later took silver in the 200m freestyle in 3:05, another personal best.

Sarah Parnell added to the tally a 400m freestyle bronze.