The 22-goal season kicked off on Wednesday, May 19 with the opening game of the 2021 Justerini & Brooks Prince of Wales Trophy, hosted by Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club. Monterosso and Great Oaks LL fought hard in an exciting opening match that required overtime with Monterosso’s Ignacio Toccalino converting a Penalty 2 for the golden goal and the 11-10 victory.
Neither team held more than a one-goal advantage at the end of each chukker in a close game throughout that was ultimately decided by the narrowest of margins. Toccalino and Bartolome Castagnola led their respective teams with six goals each, four coming from the penalty line, but despite conceding nine penalty attempts, Great Oaks LL had their opportunities to claim the win but fell victim to inaccurate shooting from the field. Converting just one of their final six shot attempts, Great Oaks LL allowed too many penalty attempts in the second half, resulting in the game-winning goal for Monterosso.
Team play was evident from the opening throw-in as five different players found the scoresheet in the opening chukka, beginning with Cruz Heguy for Great Oaks LL and Alessandro Bazzoni ending the chukka with a goal to bring Monterosso within one, trailing 3-2. Goals were had to come by from the field, with a tightly marked game moving the scoring to the penalty line after Monterosso and Great Oaks LL only managed one field goal for the remainder of the half. Toccalino and Castagnola exchanged two penalty conversions each to leave Great Oaks LL holding the 6-5 lead entering halftime.
A foul ridden start to the second half for Great Oaks LL opened the door for Monterosso to take their first lead of the game, but they converted just two of their four attempts, while Guillermo Terrera kept Great Oaks LL in the lead with consecutive goals from the field. Finally fighting their way into the lead, Monterosso produced three unanswered goals, completed by David Stirling’s first goal of the game to hold the slim 9-8 advantage entering the final stages of the game. A Penalty 4 conversion for Stirling almost sealed the victory for Monterosso, but Castagnola’s sixth goal of the game sent the outcome into overtime in a thrilling opening game of the season. After missed opportunities at goal for both teams, Monterosso was fouled in front of Great Oaks LL goal and it was Toccalino that converted the Penalty 2 to capture the 11-10 victory for Monterosso.