NVL review (18th and 19th January) - Black Country beat promotion rivals Aces in tense five setter

As the fixture list clicked back into top gear following the Christmas break and turn of the year, the West Midlands side showed they are going to fight all the way for a play-off spot, which looks the most likely chance of success behind runaway leaders Leeds Gorse. 

The Aces have been a consistent force in the second tier this season and had lost just three times as they headed north from the capital on Saturday. 

But despite battling back from 2-0 down to level at 2-2, they were unable to keep their momentum going and BC regathered their composure to take the decider, the match eventually finishing 25-22, 26-24, 20-25, 21-25, 15-11. 

The Aces’ trip was not without a success, however, as the team bounced back to beat Tamworth Spartans at Wilnecote Leisure Centre in four sets. 

They surrendered a very close first set 28-26, but from then on took command to win the next three 25-18, 25-23, 25-23, albeit being pushed hard all the way. 

It means the Aces retain a seven-point advantage over Black Country, having played three games more, while Tamworth have slipped to second from bottom. 

Indeed, the bottom half of the table is incredibly congested, with just six points separating fifth from 11th place. 

One of the teams to do themselves a real favour over the weekend was Cambridge ARU, who arrested their previous ailing form to record a straight sets victory at Lincoln Cannons.

 Perhaps boosted by their National Cup success the previous week, Cambridge edged two tight sets 25-22, 28-26 before pulling away in the last (25-11) to close out the match. 

In a disappointing weekend for the East Midlands side, they had also lost at home on Saturday in straight sets to Newcastle Staffs (25-21, 25-20, 25-18), with the visitors handily placed on a record of 5-3, having played less games than their rivals. 

It was also a good weekend for Exeter Storm, who, similarly, put their recent travails aside to triumph in a five setter at London Baks. 

The West Country side claimed an early two-set lead before the Baks squared things up, only for Storm to rally and wrap up a valuable two points (25-17, 25-13, 15-25, 21-25, 15-11). 

Exeter are now just a point behind London on the same number of games. 

Sheffield took advantage of their match being the only one in Division 2 North by beating Darkstar Derbyshire away from home. 

Their three-set success (25-15, 25-20, 25-17) leaves them six points clear in second place, although they are still five shy of leaders Manchester Marvels. 

Division 2 Central table toppers Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge suffered home defeat to Coventry and Warwick Riga who, themselves, are still very much in the promotion mix. 

The visitors’ 25-12, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23 victory has moved them to within five points of their rivals with a game in hand. 

At the other end of the table, Cambridge were left frustrated as a fantastic fightback proved to be in vain as their search for a first league success of the season goes on. 

Opponents MK City eventually took victory in five sets (25-20, 25-17, 24-26, 21-25, 15-10) but were made to work extremely hard for it. 

Wilshire Mavericks played two Division 2 South matches on Saturday – with contrasting results. 

They lost in straight sets to second-placed Wessex (25-18, 25-15, 27-25), but then pulled off a surprise by clinching their first win of the season against previously-unbeaten Southampton (25-21, 25-21, 25-23).  

Manchester Moss Side’s promotion hopes suffered a setback in Division 3 North West as they were beaten at home by an Everton Dugongs side who have only played four league games and could yet have a say – directly or indirectly – in the promotion race. 

The Liverpudlians recovered superbly from dropping the first set to take the next three and close out the match 22-25, 25-18, 27-25, 25-18. 

It was a day of contrasts for worthing in Division 3 South East, beating Tendring comfortably (25-15, 25, 17, 25-13) before losing a five setter in agonising fashion to Guildford International (25-21, 26-28, 23-25, 25-18, 16-14). 

Despite failing to pick up their first win of the season, NVL newcomers this season, Nuneaton Inferno, came mightily close and did at least take two points for their efforts. 

First they were the victims of a reverse sweep against Bedminster (22-25, 16-25, 25-12, 28-26, 15-9) and then they suffered a two-point defeat in the tie breaker decider against Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 (29-31, 25-19, 20-25, 25-17, 16-14). 

But their performances show that a first win could well be just around the corner with plenty of games still to come. 

The other match in the triangular saw Bedminster come out on top against Coventry (23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-23) to cement their position in third place in the table, albeit having played more games than their rivals. 

In the women’s section, Newcastle Knights continue to run away with Division 1 and are now 10 games unbeaten after their latest double success over the weekend. 

They continued to illustrate why they appear to be Super-League bound by first, on Saturday, proving too strong for last season’s play-off qualifiers Stockport, running out 25-10, 25-17, 25-19 victors. 

On Sunday they were no less impressive against high-flying Everton Belugas, triumphing by a 25-20, 25-15, 25-14, margin to put themselves nine points clear. 

London Giants, who have played two less games, moved up to second as they overcame the loss of the first set to beat Coventry and Warwick Riga at Clapham Leisure Centre (17-25, 25-17, 25018, 25-22). 

The capital side are a point ahead of Essex Trinity, who came through a tight first set against Leicester Athena Phoenix to their seize control of their match and clinch a straight sets success (26-23, 25-21, 25-21).  

It was a disappointing visit to London for Riga, as they also lost to a Richmond side who boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop. 

A 25-18, 25-23, 25-23 victory for the home side means they are now just two points behind the West Midlanders, with both sides having played 11 matches. 

There was agony for bottom club Southampton who gave their all in a five-set defeat at home to London Inter Crocs. 

They led 2-1 in sets at one point, only for the visitors to fight back and steal the points in the decider (25-16, 21-25, 21-25, 25-14, 15-12). 

The Miners Doncaster have gone top of Division 2 North after conquering Everton Narwhals in four sets (25-19, 24-26, 25-20, 25-20). 

The South Yorkshire club – who won promotion last year from Division 3 North – are now two points clear of Manchester Marvels, having played two more matches. 

Tamworth Spartans are clear in third after, but their latest two points could not have been harder won as they nicked a five setter against Newcastle Staffs by two points in the decider (25-17, 23-25, 12-25, 25-19, 19-17). 

In Division 2 East, Onyx suffered heartbreaking defeats on the road consecutive days, both in matches that went the distance. 

On Saturday, they led 2-1 against MK City but eventually lost 3-2 (25-17, 2025, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11, and suffered the same fate on Sunday against Herts, where they lost the decider by just two points (25-22, 14-25, 22-25, 25-16, 15-13).   

There were no such problems for Cambridge at the other end of the table as they stretched their lead at the top to 11 points after overcoming Dartford Chargers on their own court (25-19, 25-20, 25-14). 

The battle of the top two teams in Division 2 west went the way of Team South Wales as they registered a 25-18, 25-21, 25-17 triumph over Bedminster. 

As a result, they are now ahead by two points with a game in hand after making it six wins out of six in 24-25. 

Bristol moved to within a point of Bedminster with their own game in hand as they won the tightest of matches at Oxford Eagles (25-19, 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 17-15) that swung first one way then the other. 

Cheltenham and Gloucester clinched their first victory of the season against fellow winless team Black Country (25-22, 25-20, 18-25, 25-14) and are now three points clear of their opponents. 

Manchester Moss Side Jaguars are now 11 games without defeat in Division 3 North after 3-1 wins over both York Falcons (25-12, 14-25, 25-18, 25-21) and Newcastle Staffs 2 (19-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-20). 

Despite this, and a nine-point lead, they are still by no means guaranteed the title, with second-placed Leeds Gorse 3 also unbeaten in their eight matches, meaning the meetings of those two sides will be crucial in the overall outcome. 

The third match in the triangular saw York ease to a 25-15, 25-14, 25-19 victory, leaving them fourth in the table with a 5-5 record. 

Darkstar Derbyshire 2 maintained the pressure on unbeaten Division 3 Central leaders Wombourne with back-to-back triangular victories over Black Country (25-23, 25-19, 25-21) and Nottingham Rockets (25-19, 25-11, 26-28, 25-18), though they nevertheless remain four points adrift. 

The Rockets won the third match in straight sets (25-12, 25-21, 25-18) to maintain their position in the top half of the table.  

There were no matches in Division 3 South East, but Bedminster 2 went third after getting the best of their triangular with Weymouth and Plymouth UTV at the Redlands Community Sports Hub. 

They had to go to five sets – and pull off a dramatic reverse sweep – to see off the bottom-of-the-table South Coast club (22-25, 22-25, 25-17, 25-14, 15-13) 

Their victory over UTV was more straightforward (25-12, 25-10, 25-21) with the latter then going on to pile on the agony for Weymouth by winning another five setter by two points in the decider (25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 20-25, 15-13).

Main image by Noelia Fernandez Perez

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