BASINGSTOKE Bluefins men’s waterpolo A team arrived in Portsmouth keen to build on their victory against a tough Weymouth team the week before.

The match may not have started the way the visitors wanted, but in the end they beat their Pompey rivals 12-4.

This was after the home side stunned the Bluefins with two quick goals within the first minute.

This woke up the Basingstoke players and after a slight change in tactics they started to nullify Portsmouth’s strong pit attack.

The visitors gradually put more pressure on the home defence and clawed their way back into the contest.

After a rather scrappy first quarter, Basingstoke turned on the style and started to pull away. Strong work from James Stone and Jack Taylor provided crucial goals at key moments in the game to keep the momen-tum in Basingstoke’s favour.

With the home side struggling to find a way past the determined defence of the visitors, the game was put beyond doubt in the third quarter.

The Bluefins then ran rampant with more goals.

The fourth quarter became more of a formality and Basingstoke won the contest 12-4.

Basingstoke: Mike Sheath, Fred Taucher, Luke Sawyer, Jack Taylor, Tristan White, Matt Girle, James Stone, Sam Taylor, Simon Edward, Dave Trewhella and Trace Morgan.

Basingstoke Bluefins Ladies opened their London League campaign with a tough game against Chelmsford Ladies.

Basingstoke did well and battled valiantly, but ultimately the strength of the Chelmsford attack showed as they recorded a solid 5-1 victory.

The second game against Beckenham was a story of one team who took their chances and another who just lacked the cutting edge.

In the end, the Kent side ran out 9-4 winners.

Basingstoke’s third match, and by far their best perform-ance, was against London Penguins.

Going into the final minute of the game, the sides were tied 2-2.

Unfortunately for Basingstoke, the Penguins were able to score with a last-gasp shot that crept over the line.

However, Basingstoke did not leave empty handed as they received a walkover in their final match against Polytechnic Ladies.

Basingstoke Ladies: Rebekah Woolcot, Gina Lay, Megan Fletcher, Charlene Lebosse, Cara Malone, Aimee Park, Michelle Foulkes, Martina Oser, Kate Richard and Rachael Mell.