NVL play-offs review - Richmond and Darkstar staying up after seeing off Division 1 pretenders

The two teams who finished seventh in the top flight this season got the better of the sides who were second in NVL Division 1, meaning they will be among the country’s elite eight teams as a new-look structure takes root next season. 

Richmond were pushed the harder of the two by Black Country, who came out of the blocks firing and, though an early lead was whittled away, they held their nerve to edge the first set by two points. 

The second and third sets were just as close, but this time they went the way of Richmond, turning the momentum of the match in their favour. 

BC, though, were not finished and fought all the way in the fourth, but Docklands came through in the final reckoning to emerge 26-28, 26-24, 26-24, 25-22 victors. 

The women’s play-off for Super League was the last match of the day on court two and again saw the Division 1 team get off to a flyer. 

But Darkstar, crucially in terms of the overall result, dug in and edged the first set 27-25 agianst London Giants, paving the way for more comfortable second and third set wins, 25-17, 25-21.  

In the fight to go up to Women’s Division 1, Northampton - who have suffered the double disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion and losing in the National Shield final - bounced back superbly in their first match of a round-robin to decide which two of three teams would be promoted to Division 2. 

They took control in the first set of their encounter with The Miners, Doncaster and never relinquished it, easing to a straight sets victory (25-17, 25-21, 25-21). 

But the Miners showed they were made of stern stuff as they were immediately back on court to face Bedminster, hitting back from dropping the first set to take the next two. 

However, the West Country Shield finalists refused to be beaten and turned things around to level at 2-2 and then take the decider, coming out on top 25-11, 23-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-8. 

Given the two teams with the best record would earn promotion, Northampton and Bedminster knew they were already promoted ahead of the third and final match in the series, but the match was still contested anyway. 

It saw Northampton earn a confidence-boosting 25-20, 25-20, 20-25, 25-20 victory that saw them remain unbeaten on the day and they will surely take their place in Division 1 with high levels of optimism. 

Leeds Gorse 3 were the first winners of the day - just – as they booked their place in the final to win promotion to Division 2. 

They came from a set down to beat Darkstar Derbyshire 2 securing what proved to be a pivotal third set to triumph 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19). 

That set up a clash with Bristol 2, who finished off their own match just seconds later, prevailing by the same set margin over Tendring (25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19).

The meeting of the two teams proved to be a thriller, with both sides seeming like they would come out on top at various points in the match. 

Bristol led 1-0 and 2-1 but it was Leeds who took an early lead in the fifth set decider and that enabled them to get over the line and spark wild celebrations, winning 24-26, 25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 15-9. 

Images by Jon Cornish