Ten teams entered the last 8-goal tournament of the season for the PSI Trophy, with Mathieu Van Delden’s Bad Boys Polo Team and Maya Staubach-Benteler’s Bamboleo securing places in the Final which took place on Ambersham 1 on Sunday 4th September.
Mathieu Van Delden Jnr wore the number 1 shirt for Bad Boys with his father, Mathieu Van Delden, alongside him at number 2. Terence Lent was positioned at 3 with Wills Harper substituting at Back for an injured Ollie Cork. For Bamboleo, Maya Staubach-Benteler positioned herself at number 1, with Ben Crowe at 2, Josh Cork at 3 and Nina Clarkin at Back.
Bad Boys Polo Team took control of the game early on in the first chukka with Terence Lent and Wills Harper scoring an impressive four goals between them. Bamboleo struggled to make it through the Bad Boys defence, however a foul gave Josh Cork the chance to successfully convert a 30-yard penalty to get Bamboleo on onto the board, ending the chukka 4-1 in favour of Bad Boys. Neither team were able to concede a goal from the field during the second chukka as both teams fell into foul trouble. Nina Clarkin was able to convert a 60-yard penalty for Bamboleo, putting them within two goals of Bad Boys momentarily, however Bad Boys were then awarded a 40-yard penalty opportunity which was successfully converted by Terence Lent. Bad Boys led 5-2 as the first half of the match came to a close.
A melee in the goalmouth at the start of the third chukka and a foul by Bad Boys resulted in a penalty goal being awarded to Bamboleo to put them back within two. However, this gap was again short-lived as Mathieu Van Delden scored for Bad Boys to put his team ahead by three. A foul by Bamboleo then gave Lent the chance to concede a 30-yard penalty, also in favour of Bad Boys, to secure a convincing upper-hand with a four-goal advantage as the chukka ended with Bamboleo trailing 3-7. Both teams scored from a single penalty opportunity from the 30-yard line as both teams conceded fouls. The penalties were successfully converted first by Cork for Bamboleo and then by Lent for Bad Boys to secure the win and the trophy, ending the game on a final score of 8-4.
A delighted Mathieu Van Delden stepped down from the podium to receive tThe PSI Trophy from Polo Manager Chris Bethell and the X-Zony Best Playing Pony rug was awarded to Froom, played and owned by Wills Harper.
