NVL review (1st and 2nd February) -  Men's Division 1 promotion race hotting up

Leeds Gorse are still well clear at the summit – even though they were unable to pick up maximum points this weekend – and remain firm favourites to earn an immediate return to the DYNAMIK Super League. 

But, behind them, four clubs are still in contention for what is likely to be second place, barring a big capitulation in West Yorkshire. 

Gorse were pushed all the way by the only team to beat them this season, Bristol, on Saturday with the visitors battling back from two sets down to take it to a fifth. 

But the home side eventually triumphed in the decider (32-20, 25-21, 12-25, 23-25, 15-9) and have an 11-point lead. 

It was a disappointing Saturday for seconds-placed London Aces as they lost ground by succumbing to an unexpected home defeat to Exeter Storm. 

The match was extremely tight throughout, with all four sets seeing just two points separating the teams, but, in the end, the West Country side were able to win the crucial points to run out 27-25, 26-28, 25-23, 25-23 victors, moving them up to sixth in the process. 

In third are Black Country, who had to wait until Sunday to play their match but overcame a third set blip to dispatch fellow West Midlanders Tamworth Spartans (25-20, 25-13, 226-28, 25-17). 

They are now just two points behind the Aces having played two games less and are a point ahead of Bristol in fourth, with one game in hand over them. 

Newcastle Staffs, in fifth, continue to be one to watch having only played 10 matches, fewer than any other team in the division, as they moved to a 7-3 record with a straight sets success at London Baks (25-21, 25-19, 25-17). 

There biggest problem could be fixture congestion with so little time to go in the season, but if they can get a positive result from their home clash with Leeds on Saturday, then they will really start to believe in their chances. 

Things are also close at the other end of the table, meaning Cambridge ARU’s hard-earned success over bottom club Hull Thunder was critical to their hopes of survival. 

Their 25-16, 21-25, 21-25, 25-12, 15-12 win puts them up to eighth, having played more games (16) than anyone else, but it continues their gradual rise up the standings after struggles in the first half of the campaign. 

Sheffield cut the gap to unbeaten Division 2 North leaders Manchester Marvels to two points with a comfortable 3-0 home triumph over Newcastle Staffs 2 (25-13, 25-17, 25-16). 

The game’s only other game saw Wigan Seahawks level up their record at 3-3 after consigning bottom club Harrogate to an eighth reverse of the season. 

Only set quotient separates the three sides at the top of Division 2 Central after a busy week of action that saw previous leaders Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge deposed. 

They were replaced by their Saturday conquerors, Newmarket, who edged to a tense 27-25, 25-18, 26-24 victory. 

And by the end of Sunday Rhinos had dropped another place as Loughborough Students followed up Saturday’s 3-1 success at Cambridge (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15) by beating MK City 3-2 at home by the narrowest of margins (25-15, 27-29, 25-16, 20-25, 15-13). 

Spelthorne Lions played two home games in two days and earned two points from each after consecutive 3-2 successes against first Cardiff Panthers (25-22, 23-25, 29-27, 27-29, 15-10) and then Wiltshire Mavericks (25-22, 19-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-7). 

It moves them up to fourth in the table and leaves their two beaten opponents deep in trouble. 

GNG Bedford had few sides in beating Division 3 North Central’s bottom two sides, Wombourne 2 and Darkstar Derbyshire, both in straight sets to consolidate their mid-table position. 

Everton Dugongs kept their powder dry for much of the first half of the season in Division 3 North West, but continued their charge up the table with a 3-0 win over Manchester Marvels. 

They are now up to fifth with plenty of games in hand on those above them and a genuine promotion charge could be on the cards. 

There were no matches in Division 3 South East, but Oxford Bulls; unbeaten record went close to going in Division 3 South West after being on the brink against Reading Aces. 

The Berkshire side won the first two sets, only for the hosts to regather themselves and then pull off a reverse sweep to get the job done in five, winning 15-13 in the last. 

They also beat Weymouth 3-1 to make it 12 successive wins, while Reading’s frustrations were further compounded as they also lost 3-1 to Weymouth, who are third. 

Newcastle Knights ticked off two more matches in their quest to not just to win Women’s NVL Division 1 – and also stay unbeaten throughout the season – without hitting a ball. 

After Richmond were unable to fulfil their fixture in the North East on Saturday, the same thing happened on Sunday, as Southampton failed to make the trip from the South Coast. 

As a result, their lead at the top is now nine points, though second-placed London Ginats stayed in touching distance by proving to be too strong for London Inter Crocs (25-13 25-17, 25-18). 

Stockport are third after overcoming struggling Coventry and Warwick Riga 3-0 on home territory (25-10, 25-13, 25-23). 

Leicester Athena Phoenix completed a league double over Everton Belugas, winning a five –set thriller on Merseyside to leapfrog them in the table (25-20, 15-25, 20-25, 25-13, 16-14). 

The Miners Doncaster’s recent good form that took them to the top of Division 2 North came to an abrupt half as they lost at home to South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield. 

The city club lost the first set, but bounced back to take the next three and run out winners in four sets (19-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-23). 

Elsewhere, Everton Narwhals carried their record to 4-4 as Tamworth Spartans promotion hopes suffered another blow, with the hosts triumphing 14-25, 25-4, 25-19, 25-7. 

An enthralling match in Cardiff saw Team South Wales grabbed the spoils against Bristol in a five-setter that swung one way when the other. 

Twice the hosts led and twice they were pegged back, meaning a decider was needed to pick a winner (25-21, 16-25, 25-18, 16-25, 15-11) and it was the Welsh team who edged that to stay unbeaten and go four points clear at the top. 

Oxford Eagles were the other winners as they came through in straight sets against Cheltenham and Gloucester (25-9, 25-14, 28-26). 

Cambridge cemented their position at the top of Division 2 East with a four-set home victory over second-placed Northampton on Saturday. 

Their 25-18, 25-23, 18-25, 25-14 success has given them a nine-point buffer over their rivals, who at least could draw some solace from a 3-2 victory at Norwich Spikers on Sunday (25-22, 22-25, 25-16, 14-25, 15-10). 

It was a frustrating weekend for the Norfolk club, who also lost in five on the road at MK City (21-25, 25-19, 25-19, 24-26, 15-12), boosting the latter’s survival hopes. 

A Yorkshire derby was the only match in Division 3 North and was won by Leeds Gorse against York Falcons. 

The hosts’ 25-23, 27-29, 25-19, 25-19 gives them a 10-point lead in second place over third-placed Manchester Liberators, but they are themselves still nine points behind unbeaten leaders Manchester Moss Side Jaguars. 

There were no matches in either Division 3 Central or Division 3 South East, but in Division 3 South West, Bristol 2 moved up to third place in the back of triangular victories over Plymouth (3-0) and Portsmouth (3-2). 

However, they are still six points shy of Reading Aces and Southampton 2, who occupy the top two places. 

Portsmouth are in fourth place after clinching the match against Plymouth in straight sets.

Action images of Everton Belugas v Leicester Athena Phoenix and Everton Narwhals v Tamowroth Spartans by Simon Clarke

---