NVL Preview (1st and 2nd February) - Gorse seek revenge against Bristol

The third-placed West Country side were 3-2 winners when the teams met in November and are going well themselves, with nine victories in three matches. 

 It means an exciting encounter is in prospect at The Ruth Gorse Academy where the hosts will bid to stay at least nine points clear. 

Second-placed London Aces will look to benefit – whichever way that result goes in West Yorkshire – when they are also in Saturday action in welcoming Exeter Storm to the capital. 

They can either cut the lead to the top or extend their advantage over third place with a victory. 

If results go their way, Cambridge ARU could pull themselves clear of the drop zone if they can beat bottom-of-the-table Hull Thunder. 

The same can be said of London Baks, who entertain a Newcastle Staffs side (pictured above) who have ambitions of forcing their way into the play-off picture. 

Sunday’s only match sees another top four team, Black Country, bid to keep their promotion push on course when entertaining struggling Tamworth Spartans. 

Although currently fifth, Loughborough Students could make some serious headway up the Division 2 Central table if they win both their weekend matches. 

They travel to Cambridge on Saturday and host MK City on Sunday, both teams below them in the table. 

Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge will stay at the summit regardless of other results should they win at fourth-placed Newmarket. 

The top two are both in action in Division 2 North this weekend, with table-toppers Manchester Marvels looking to keep their 100% record going at Darkstar Derbyshire as second-placed Sheffield host Newcastle Staffs 2. 

Harrogate go in search of their first win of the season as they host Wigan Seahawks at the Rossett Sports Centre. 

Spelthorne Lions will bid to move up in Division 2 South with two home matches in as many days against first Cardiff Panthers and then Wiltshire Mavericks. 

In Division 3 North West, Everton Dugongs will look to build on last weekend’s win over top two Sheffield Springers and Liverpool when they visit Manchester Marvels Marauders. 

Wombourne can go third in Division 3 North Central should they triumph in one of their two triangular matches against GNG Bedford and Darkstar Derbyshire 2. 

Oxford Bulls will bid to make it 10 consecutive victories in Division 3 South West as they take on Reading Aces and Weymouth, who also both have strong records this season. 

There are no matches in Division 3 South East this weekend.

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Four matches – two on each day – make up the Women’s Division 1 fixtures, with the top two teams both featuring. 

Second-placed London Giants face fellow capital side London Inter Crocs on Saturday before unbeaten Newcastle Knights welcome bottom club Southampton on Sunday. 

Having met last weekend, Everton Belugas and Leicester Athena Phoenix meet again, with the Merseysiders looking to avenge a 3-1 defeat on that occasion. 

Stockport, meanwhile, can go third if they prevail at home to Coventry and Warwick Riga. 

Unbeaten Team South Wales (pictured above) meet Bristol, who have lost just once and sit third, at the Eastern Community Campus in Division 2 West. 

There are four fixtures in Division 2 East, with the headline match seeing leaders Cambridge go up against second-placed Northampton. 

The latter are also in action on Sunday against Norwich Spikers, who visit MK City 24 hours earlier. 

Dartford Chargers host Herts in the division’s other fixture. 

Sheffield play twice in Division 2 North, making the relatively short trips to both Newcastle Staffs (Saturday) and leaders The Miners Doncaster (Sunday). 

Everton Narwhals host third-placed Tamworth Spartans on Sunday. 

Portsmouth and Bristol 2 are level on 16 points in Division 3 South West and meet in a triangular on Sunday that also involves Plymouth. 

A Yorkshire derby is the only match in Division 3 North, with Leeds Gorse 3 looking to bounce back from last weekend’s first defeat of the season as York Falcons visit. 

There are no fixtures in Division 3 Central or Division 3 South East. 

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