DORSET teenagers Spencer Wilks and James Stephenson have become national silver medalists after joining a South West water polo team which exceeded its own expectations.

The Christchurch Seagulls duo – both members of the GB talent squad – were in the regional team that was expecting to compete in Division Two of the ASA Inter-Regional Championships.

They were promoted to Division One after Ireland had pulled out and were seen as the underdogs in a two-day tournament that is known as a tough test of determination, skill and endurance.

And the South West upset the form book by beating three of their four opponents at Walsall Gala Baths in the West Midlands to claim the runners-up spot.

They opened with a 24-14 trouncing of the West Midlands in which Wilks scored three times and Stephenson once.

Next came the South West’s only defeat as they went down 20-10 to North West Tigers, who went on to win the round robin tournament with a 100 per cent record and a goal difference of plus-46.

The North West includes Manchester, which is effectively the capital of British water polo and training base for the national squads.

Wilks was the South West’s top scorer with six goals as the team returned to winning ways with a 19-4 thrashing of the South East.

He found the net twice more as the South West completed a fine weekend with a 13-5 victory over the North East.

Wilks, whose personal goal tally across the four matches totalled 12, said: “Silver was a great result as we were ranked last in Division One beforehand. That’s a big step forward.

“I thought I did well. We played well as a team, especially as we hadn’t played together before.

“I knew quite a few of the players from the other teams as they train with me in the GB talent squad in Cardiff every month.”

Stephenson said: “We worked well as a team, but if we’d had more training together, we’d have had a better chance to get gold.

“We’re very proud to represent the South West and come back with silver medals.”

South West head coach James Baker said: “The team exceeded all expectations. It’s testament to the strong water polo background in the South West that the team was drawn from four of our six counties – Gloucestershire, Devon, Somerset and Dorset.

“If they had had a few more opportunities to play together before the tournament, I have no doubt that the South West team would have also beaten the North West.”