NVL review (1st and 2nd March) - Black Country strength play-off bid with back-to-back wins

Black Country put themselves firmly back in the frame to finish in the crucial second spot – having previously suffering back-to-back defeats to Newcastle Staffs and Exeter Storm – by overcoming first champions Leeds Gorse and then Hull Thunder. 

On Saturday against the West Yorkshire side they got off to a great start and even though their opponents briefly levelled then took the vital third set by three points and then close out the match to win (25-18, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20). 

It was only a second defeat of the season for Leeds but an important success for BC, who went on to beat relegation-threatened Thunder on Sunday in straight sets (25-15, 26-024, 25-18) to move back up to second spot. 

One place and two points below them in third, but with a game in hand are Bristol, who maintained their own challenge by winning their West Country derby against Exeter Storm in four sets. 

They needed to bounce back from dropping the opener, but from then on were relatively comfortable in notching a 12th victory of the season (19-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-18). 

London Aces, in fourth, still have an outside chance should those above them stumble, as do Newcastle Staffs, who still have hive games of their season left to play. 

On Saturday, they edge to a tense five-set victory in a West Midlands derby against Tamworth Spartans to ensured they stayed in contact. 

Their 25-18, 18-25, 18-25, 25-18, 15-11 triumph also helped them avenge a recent defeat to their regional rivals. 

The other match played over the weekend was at the other end of the table and saw Lincoln Cannons take a big step towards safety with a straight sets success (25-16, 28-26, 25-21) at the expense of beaten opponents London Baks, whose chances of avoiding the drop are now increasingly slim. 

Manchester Marvels won their top versus second match at Sheffield in Division 2 North, but were made to fight all the way. 

They eventually emerged 25-21, 21-25, 29-27, 21-25, 15-10 victors after a terrific tussle that gives them a six-point lead at the top.  

The South Yorkshire side are still second, on set quotient, ahead of Leeds Gorse 2, who continued their recent charge up the Division 2 North table as they completed their sixth and seventh wins in a row by beating first Newcastle Staffs 2 on Saturday (24-26, 25-13, 25-15, 25-22) and then neighbours Harrogate on Sunday (25-16, 25-20, 25-23). 

Darkstar Derbyshire are fourth after beating Wigan Seahawks on their home court (25-22, 25-23, 25-18), while Kings of Court are a point further back after seeing off the same opposition a day later (25-21, 25-22, 25-22). 

Loughborough Students struck what could be an important blow in the race for a Division 2 Central promotion spot as they beat one of their rivals, Coventry and Warwick Riga, on the road (21-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-22). 

It was a ninth straight win for the East Midlanders, having remained unbeaten since losing their first two matches of their league campaign. 

At the bottom, Cambridge’s mini-revival continued as they beat Northampton 30-28, 25-23, 25-20 to leapfrog above them and move off the bottom, but it is a run that has come too late. 

MK City’s straight sets win over Newmarket (27-25, 25-16, 25-16) consigned the Cambridgeshire side’s relegation, though Northampton, with games in hand, are not mathematically down yet. 

Two maximum points weekend wins have moved Wessex to the Division 2 South summit. 

First, on Saturday, they came through against Spelthorne Lions in four sets (25-14, 25-19, 21-25, 25-13) and then, on Sunday, they were victorious at promotion rivals Southampton (25-17, 25-18, 25-22). 

It gives them a two-point lead with a game in hand over second-placed Richmond Bucks, who were themselves edged out in a five-set thriller by Southampton on Saturday (10-25, 25-23, 23-25, 17-25, 15-8), with the latter in third. 

Mid-table Hounslow, meanwhile, won at bottom club Cardiff Panthers (25-22, 25-17, 26-24). 

Tamworth Spartans 2 suffered mixed fortunes in their two matches in Division 3 North Central, beating Darkstar Derbyshire 2 3-0 and losing to Black Country 2 3-1. 

The three teams are seventh, eighth and sixth in the table, so the match scores reflected the overall fortunes of the team during 2024-25. 

Everton Dugongs are now second in Division 3 North West after they continued their run of victories in their latest triangular. 

They beat Manchester Marvels Marauders and Urmston Grammar at Dean Trust Ardwick and now trail leaders Sheffield Springers by five points with two games in hand. 

Urmston proved too strong for the Marauders, winning the other encounter in straight sets. 

There were no matches in Division 3 South East, but Oxford Bulls have secured the Division South West title in style by making it 14 games unbeaten with straight sets successes over Southampton 2 and Nuneaton Inferno 2, the former beating the latter by the same margin in the other triangular fixture. 

The Bulls need just two more wins now to maintain a perfect record throughout the season. 

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There were just two matches in Women’s Division 1, neother of which are likely to affect the race for promotion. 

However, Leicester Athena Phoenix continue to impress in third place, securing a 10th win of the season form 14 matches by beating a Coventry and Warwick Riga side deep in a relegation battle (25-20, 25-20, 25-19). 

No doubt the East Midlanders will be hoping to continue their strong form in 2025-26 and shape themselves into serious contenders for a Super League spot.  

Stockport stay fourth after edging to a hard-fought win in going the distance against Essex Trinity (25-23, 19-25, 29-27, 24-26, 15-12). 

Manchester Marvels Mayhem have stayed top of Division 2 North by registering a four sets victory across the Pennines in Sheffield.

Their 25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17 success ensures they have a one-point lead with a game in hand over Loughborough Students, who have moved up to second after successive weekend victories in the North West. 

On Saturday, they won 25-15, 25-14, 25-8 at Urmston Grammar and followed that up on Sunday at Litherland High School by conquering Everton Nawhals 25-22, 25-14, 25-23. 

The Narwhals had fared better in their Saturday match as they overcame Sheffield in five sets after fending off a fightback (25-19, 25-23, 15-25, 24-26, 15-9). 

Already-relegated Urmston were also beaten by Newcastle Staffs 2, whose 26-24, 25-20, 25-17 triumph gives them renewed hope of beating the drop. 

Bristol have gone three points clear at the top of Division 2 West after a straight sets win over Cardiff Falcons on Sunday (25-21, 25-18, 25-21). 

The Welsh side had also been in action on Saturday but again proved to be out of luck as Oxford Eagles crossed the Severn Bridge to run out winners (25-12, 18-25, 25-20, 25-16). 

Cambridge are all-but-assured of the Division 2 East title after their 25-21, 25-21, 25-19 triumph at MK City. 

They no need just one more point from their remaining two matches guarantee top spot, though they could still yet lose both and still end as champions. 

Northampton remain in contention for second and cut the deficit to Richmond 2, who currently occupy that spot, to two points after a 25-17, 19-25, 25-14, 25-15 victory over Herts. 

Manchester Liberators’ Division 3 North double has seen them take ownership of second spot in the table. 

They saw off both Hull Thunder and York Falcons in straight sets, while the latter beat the latter, also by a 3-0 margin, in the other triangular match. 

Leeds Gorse 3’s promotion hopes suffered a setback as they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester Marvels Mystics, a result which saw them drop to third. 

Lincoln Cannons strengthened their prospects of finishing as runners-up in Division 3 Central at the expense of Rhinos Volleyball Cambridge by coming from a set down to beat their rivals 3-1. 

The East Midlands side also comfortably beat Nottingham Rockets in a triangular as Rhinos triumphed 3-0 in the third match of the series. 

There were no matches in Division 3 South East, but Bristol 2 went back top of Division 3 South West – for the time being at least – with a five-set win over Portsmouth and a straightforward 3-0 win over Weymouth. 

It leaves them a point ahead of Reading Aces, but the Berkshire side have no less than five games in hand. 

Portsmouth won the other match against Weymouth in straight sets and stay fourth in the table while, elsewhere, Southampton 2 are third and still in promotion contention after defeating City of Bristol 3-0.

Manchester and Sheffield images by Simon Clarke.

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