NVL Preview (21st and 22nd March) - Onyx eye title as play-off places also at stake

Women’s NVL 

Onyx can wrap up promotion with a game to spare if they can get the better of Sussex Dolphins at Kensington Alridge Academy. 

Even if they cannot close it out this weekend, they still have another opportunity to seal top spot in their final match against Worthing. 

Dartford Chargers and Herts are also in action in a lower mid-table encounter. 

In Division 2 North, Manchester Liberators will bid to keep their play-off hopes alive when they entertain Newcastle Staffs at Fairfield High School. 

They will need to win both their remaining games and hope that The Miners Doncaster slip-up in their final match to stand a chance. 

Black Country retain an outside hope of edging out Oxford Eagles in the race for second place in Division 2 West, but nothing less than victory in their home match against Coventry and Warwick Riga will do if they are to have any hope. 

Riga need the points for altogether different reasons as they bid to avoid being relegated for the third season in succession. 

Their task has be made all the more difficult by Tamworth Spartans, the club one place above them in the league table, after the Stafforshire club picked up two points from a five-set thriller played last night (Wednesday).

Spartans were 25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 28-26, 15-13 victors at Wombourne after fighting back from 2-1 down in sets to win by just two points in the decider.

It means Coventry now trail their West Midlands rivals by four points and realistically have to register victories in their last two games to be in with a chance of a great escape.

As teams begin to fulfil fixtures that have been postponed or not completed, Dartford Warriors and Richmond 3 have the unusual situation fo playing each other twice at the same venue on the same day. 

Both home and away fixtures between the two Division 3 South East teams will be played at Dartford Technology College on Saturday. 

In a busy weekend for the South West Londoners, they are also in action on Sunday against Essex Ravens at the Kingston Arena.  

Men’s NVL 

Matches in the men’s section are in even shorter supply, but there is an important game for MK City in Division 2 Central as they can take a big stride towards nailing down a play-off place if they can win at Loughborough Students. 

A Manchester derby takes place on Sunday in Division 3 North as Manchester Moss Side Jaguars and Manchester Marvels Marauders go head to head at Moss Side Leisure Centre. 

In Division 3, Chelmsford will look to secure third place in their maiden NVL season and one win from their two triangular matches against Tamworth Spartans 2 and Wombourne will get the job done.