Qualifier spots for Manchester and Sutton & Cheam

City of Manchester and Sutton & Cheam took the last two qualification spots from the Boys’ U17 National Age Group Water Polo Preliminaries on Sunday.

Manchester finished fourth last year and won their only title in this event in 2013.

And the North West giants will have their sights set on a place at the finals weekend once more after three victories to top Group C.

They kicked off their campaign with a 16-5 defeat of Cheltenham before turning on the style with a 23-5 win over Northampton.

Sutton & Cheam put up a fight in their final game but Manchester prevailed 8-5 to finish group winners.

Sutton & Cheam progress on goal difference

The London side joined Manchester in the qualifiers, placing second on goal difference.

Sutton & Cheam – who won their only U17 title in 1993 – tied with Cheltenham on three points, having drawn 8-8 with them in the third game of the day.

But their goal difference of +9, compared to Cheltenham’s of -6, saw them finish ahead.

City of Sheffield, Ealing, Newton Abbot and Caledonia also progressed into the Qualifiers, taking place on 1 – 2 April 2017.