NVL Preview (25th and 26th October) - Spartans and Castle vie for early supremacy

Men’s NVL 

Tamworth Spartans and Newcastle Staffs will put their Division 1 North unbeaten records on the line on Sunday when they meet in a West Midlands derby. 

Both teams have started their campaigns well with two wins from two, and the Spartans beat another rival in Black Country last weekend. 

Whoever prevails at the Wilnecote Community Leisure Centre will be able to lay claim to having the best start, even if results elsewhere means the victors may not be top of the table. 

Manchester Marvels are also seeking to move onto nine points and could claim leadership of the division – if other results go their way – with a third win of the campaign. 

Interestingly, they take on a Cambridge Rhinos side who ended their unbeaten record last weekend in the reverse fixture. 

A third Sunday match pairs Black Country, seeking to bounce back from their aforementioned defeat to Tamworth, with Stockport, while, on Saturday, Coventry and Warwick Riga and Sheffield both have the chance to register their first success of the season when they meet. 

With Reading Aces not in action this week, there is an opportunity for Richmond Bucks to make it three wins from three and claim top spot as they travel to London Baks. 

Dartford Crossers could also make headway up the table if they can win in Wales against Cardiff Panthers at Fitzalan High School. 

There are no matches in Division 2 North and Division 2 Central. 

Three triangular matches means all nine teams are in action in Division 3 North. 

There is a distinctly Manchester feel about two of them, with InterVolley Manchester, Urmston Grammar and leaders Manchester Liberators meeting at the Y Club and Manchester Marvels Marauders, Manchester Moss Side Jaguars and second-placed Harrogate, making the trip from Yorkshire, facing off at the Dean Trust, Ardwick. 

The other happens in Humberside, where Hull Thunder, Liverpool and York Falcons play at the Steve Prescott Sports Centre. 

In Division 3 Central, Tamworth Spartans play their first matches of the season against Black Country 2 and Birmingham City, teams who have already each recorded at least one victory. 

Telford have home advantage as they face Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 and a Chelmsford side who were late replacements in the league for Sheffield 2. 

All nine teams are also in action in Division 3 South East, including two of the top three, Newmarket 2 and Essex Estonians, going head to head, along with Tendring. 

Onyx London are also still unbeaten and they travel to face London Lionhearts and Worthing at Mulberry Shoreditch Academy. 

Elsewhere, London Wildcats, Rhinos Cambridge 2 and GNG Bedford are ready to do battle. 

Another full programme in Division 3 South West sees the only team yet to drop a set, Weymouth, protect their position at the top against fellow unbeaten side, Team South Wales, and Urbond Portsmouth. 

The other side yet to lose, Bristol 2, have home advantage against Guildford International and City of Bristol, while the division is rounded off with the meeting of Spelthorne Tigers, Bedminster and Southampton 2. 

Women’s NVL 

There is just one match in Division 1 South, where Wessex and Essex Trinity will both be looking to bounce back after defeats last time out. 

University of Nottingham have the chance to move into double figures in terms of points on Sunday – and extend their lead at the top of Division 1 North in the process – but they will have to negotiate a tricky-looking trip to Everton Belugas if they are to do it. 

Loughborough Students go in search of their first win when they entertain Stockport at Parkin Sports Centre, as do Northampton who play Manchester Marvels Mayhem at Moulton College. 

A Saturday triangular in Division 2 East in Norwich will provide Cambridge with the opportunity to top the pile, while Sussex Dolphins and Norwich Spikers will respectively seek their first successes. 

Oxford Eagles are also in action twice over the weekend, once on each day, as they hope to climb to the Division 2 West summit. 

To do so they would have to complete a West Midlands double over Coventry and Warwick Riga on Saturday and current, unbeaten leaders Black Country on Sunday. 

There are three matches in Division 2 North, with Manchester Moss Side Jaguars protecting their unbeaten start at The Miners, Doncaster and then again on Sunday at home to Lincoln Cannons, who will have first played at Manchester Liberators on Saturday. 

A busy weekend in Division 3 South West gives everyone the chance to play twice, not least Farnborough Phoenix and Plymouth, who both won their opening two matches, as City of Bristol provide their other opposition. 

Also unbeaten thus far are Bristol 2, who travel to Devon to take on Plymouth Mayflower and Portsmouth. 

Southampton 2, Bedminster 2 and Weymouth meet at the Redlands Community Sports Hub. 

Two triangulars take place in Division 3 South East, which includes the meeting of unbeaten duo London Ravens and Tendring at Lambeth Academy, with Invicta also in action. 

At Ashcombe Volleyball Centre, Ashcombe and Dorking host Richmond 3 and a Spelthorne Sharks side who have also yet to be defeated. 

Moving further up the country, there are two Division 3 Central triangulars operating in the Midlands, with Leicester Athena Nova making the short trip across the county border to face Nottingham Rockets and Rhinos Cambridge. 

Like the Rockets, Coventry and Warwick Riga 2 will also play their first games when they host Loughborough Students 2 and Cheltenham and Gloucester. 

In Division 3 North, it’s another all-team weekend, with the two unbeaten sides kept apart. 

Manchester Marvels Mystics play Urmston Grammar and Hull Thunder in Greater Manchester, while Newcastle Staffs 2 host two different sets of Falcons – those all the way from the Isle of Man and also York. 

In Ellesmere Port, Chester Amazons, Everton Seadragons and Leeds Gorse 3 do battle. 

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