A lithe, highly mobile Spanish team, fielding 11 of their 13 world champions, pulled back a 1-4 half-time deficit to draw level, at 7-7, with just over four minutes to play.

To general surprise, however, it was the home side rather than their illustrious visitors who struck decisively in the final stages of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) world league clash, with veteran Angie Winstanley-Smith using her skill and experience to win two penalties, both duly converted.

"When it got to 7-7, a few of us thought, 'Oh no!'", acknowledged Rosie Morris, Great Britain's captain and goalkeeper, whose late saves were also crucial.

"I am just over the moon."

Last night's victory, which followed hard on the heels of England's gold medal at the recent Commonwealth Championships, came tinged with a bitter-sweet taste, however, since the team learnt recently it has lost its funding from UK Sport, the elite performance agency widely credited with masterminding Britain's dramatically improved Olympic performance in recent times.

The women's team got an impressive increase in funding to £4.54 million ($7.53 million/€5.54 million) in December 2012 to help it prepare for Rio 2016.

Unless something changes, it looks like the team's last hoorah will be the European Championships in Budapest this summer.

"I think with the funding decision, it could have gone either way," said Lisa Gibson, one of the home team's stand-out performers on the night.

"It could have demoralised us, but we used it to our advantage to motivate us," explained the 24 year-old who is studying to be an anaesthesiologist.

"We knew we had nothing to lose.

"We had to go out there and show the world what we could do.

"That's exactly what we did."

An enthusiastic and fairly extensive Manchester Aquatics Centre crowd was delighted.

While the players and staff of this tight-knit squad can fairly be said to have made their point with spirit and dignity in recent weeks, without funding, the chance to build on this outstanding result is likely to be ripped away from them.

To read Jewel in the pool - how the team UK Sport does not think is worth funding beat the world champions in Manchester click here.