Heroes topple Bucks in Sitting Grand Prix third round

With Sitting Bucks the team to beat having won the first two rounds, every squad entered round three looking to build on their performances as the season reached its halfway point.

The Bucks opened their campaign with a composed 2-0 (25-19, 25-13) win over Nottingham Casualties, continuing the form that has defined their season so far.

Their semi-final against Salisbury Spitfires, however, proved more of a test than expected, particularly in a tight first set, but the Bucks closed out the match  25-23, 25-9 to secure yet another place in the gold medal final.

Help for Heroes A also began the day brightly, recording a confident 2-0 (25-12, 25-12) win over clubmates Help 4 Heroes B.

They then carried that momentum into the semi-final where they faced a determined South Hants, controlling the key passages of play and progressing to the final with an assured 25-14, 25-19 success.

That brought together the two stand-out teams of the season for the third time this year, but this time it was the Heroes who had the edge.

In an entertaining and closely fought contest, they edged out Bucks 25–21, 25–23 to claim top spot in what was the final match of the day.

South Hants had started strongly with a clear 2-0 (25-14, 25-12) win over the Panthers, but after their semi-final defeat, they met the Spitfires in the third place match.

However, despite their efforts, they were outplayed by a confident Spitfires side, who secured a 2-0 (25-13, 25-22) triumph.

It was an excellent outing for the Salisbury Spitfires, who had grown in confidence as the day progressed.

Looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristic showing in round two, they returned to form with an impressive 2-0 (25-15, 25-11) victory over the Lincoln Imps in their opening match before delivering another positive performance in the bronze medal match.

Lincoln Iexperienced mixed fortunes, starting with a difficult loss, but finding their rhythm later in the day.

They earned a hard-fought 2–1 (16-25, 25-20, 15-2) comeback win over Nottingham Casualties in the fifth to eighth play-off before finishing with a solid 2-0 (25-14, 25-15) result against Help fo Heroes B to secure fifth place.

Nottingham Casualties ended their day on a high, with a dominant 2–0 (25-6, 25-10) win over the Panthers, taking seventh place.

Both Help 4 Heroes B and the Panthers faced tough match-ups throughout the day, and, with limited squad numbers, they found it challenging to keep pace with the other teams.

Sitting Bucks remain clear at the top of the overall standings, but Help 4 Heroes A have shown they are very much in the hunt as the Grand Prix season moves into its second half after the Christmas break.

All the results from the weekend can be found here.