NVL preview (8th and 9th February) - critical match for Crocs and Riga in survival battle

The home side have a six-point cushion from the bottom two relegation places and also games in hand on all of their rivals who have the same objective. 

It means victory over the West Midlanders would see them take a significant leap towards retaining their status in the division, especially if they can pick up points on the road at Leicester Athena Phoenix on Saturday. 

For Coventry, their need for points is more urgent as they are just one point and one place above the drop zone with six games of their season to go, so a victory at this stage would be the ideal fillip. 

The team immediately below them, Richmond, play on Saturday when they welcome fourth-placed Essex Trinity to the Kingston College Arena. 

It is the first match of a double header for Essex, who return home on Sunday to play bottom club Southampton. 

Unbeaten leaders Newcastle Knights are also in action on Sunday as they travel west to meet Everton Belugas in Liverpool. 

Division 2 East will see Richmond 2 look to strengthen their promotion credentials with a double header – first hosting MK City on Saturday and then making the short trip to Herts on Sunday. 

A key clash in the Division 2 West promotion race takes place at the Oasis Academy, Brislington on Saturday as second-placed Bedminster entertain third-place Bristol. 

Bemi also cross the Severn Bridge into Wales on Sunday to face Cardiff Falcons and if they can win both games they will go top of the table – for the time being at least. 

Elsewhere, Black Country go in search of their second win of the season when they host mid-table Oxford Eagles. 

Sussex Dolphins, who have lost just once this season, could go top of Division 3 South East on set quotient, but they will have to beat second-placed Tendring and Richmond 3 in a trinagular order to do it. 

Third-placed Manchester Liberators go into their Division 3 North triangular against Chester Amazons and Newcastle Staffs 2 knowing that, realistically, nothing less than two wins will do if they want to stay in the promotion hunt. 

There are no matches this weekend in either Division 3 Central or Division 3 South West. 

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It is a crunch match for both Newcastle Staffs and visitors Leeds Gorse in Men’s Division 1 on Saturday, which is the stand-out clash of five fixtures taking place at that level over the weekend. 

Staffs could send out a big warning to their play-off rivals with victory over a team who have suffered just one defeat. 

But Leeds – who will, no doubt, want revenge for defeat in Stoke last year that ultimately saw them relegated from the DYNAMIK Men’s Super League – know another road trip success could make them uncatchable at the top, particularly should they also beat Lincoln Cannons on Sunday. 

The Cannons, meanwhile, will warm-up for their test against the table toppers by hosting a Black Country side, who are currently third, 24 hours earlier. 

Second-placed London Aces will look to get back on track after defeat to Exeter Storm last weekend when they welcome bottom club Hull Thunder to Lambeth Academy on Saturday. 

Fourth-place Bristol will look to take advantage of any slip-ups by those sides immediately above them when they visit struggling Tamworth Spartans on Sunday. 

Spelthorne Lions will look to make up ground on the top three in Division 2 South by making it three wins in a row when they visit Cardiff Panthers in the division’s only match on Sunday. 

It’s a repeat of their respective first teams’ fixture in Division 2 North on Saturday as Newcastle Staffs 2 play Leeds Gorse 2. 

The West Yorkshire side also feature on Sunday when Darkstar Derbyshire visit, while leaders Manchester Marvels put their unbeaten record on the line against third-placed Kings of Court. 

There are no matches in Division 2 Central this weekend. 

Bristol will look to strengthen their bid to go up from Division 3 South West when they host a triangular involving Weymouth, who are one place below them in third, and Bedminster. 

In Division 3 North Central, Wombourne and GNG Bedford have both won six and lost four ahead of their meeting, which includes Black Country 2 as the third team. 

Everton Dugongs can really put themselves in the promotion mix in Division 3 North West if they can overcome both Intervolley Manchester and Sheffield in a triangular at Y Club.

No-one is in action in Division 3 South East this weekend.

Action images by Cardiff VC 

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