NVL Review (28th and 29th March) - MK City, Dartford Telford seal title victories on final weekend

Women’s NVL 

MK City bounced back to Division 2 at the first time of asking as they got the four points they needed from their two games in hand on Leicester Athena Nova to usurp them at the top of Division 3 Central. 

They were pushed hard by Nottingham Rockets before taking two points for winning in five, but found it more comfortable in taking maximum points against Coventry and Warwick Riga 2. 

The other game saw the Rockets triumph 3-1 to increase the gap to their bottom-placed opponents. 

The division’s other match to be concluded saw Rhinos Cambridge lift themselves above Cheltenham and Glocuester to finish third after a 3-0 success over Darkstar Derbyshire 2. 

Division 3 South East champions London Ravens were denied the honour of finishing the campaign unbeaten as they were beaten 3-2 in their final match of the season at Dartford Warriors, who also got the better of Essex Ravens by the same scoreline, moving up to fifth in the table in the process. 

Division1 South title winners London Giants rounded off their campaign with another resounding win to make it 14 from 14 for the season as they head into Super League. 

They came out on top 25-15, 25-9, 25-8 against Bristol to finish the season having lost only one set – and with a set quotient of 42. 

London Inter Crocs ensured a capital 1-2-3 as they defeated Essex Trinity in straight sets to end on a high (25-19, 25-21, 25-18). 

But it was a frustrating end to the season for second-placed Richmond as they were edged out 3-2 on their own court by Team South Wales, in what was a crucial result for them. 

The two points they took from the 18-25, 25-23, 25-21, 17-25, 15-13 triumph was enough to draw them level on points with Bedminster, who had won 3-1 at Wessex the day previous (22-25, 25-22, 30-28, 25-13), but with a slightly superior set quotient – 0.688 compared to 0.645. 

Just one match in Division 1 North saw Manchester Marvels secure second spot behind University of Nottingham as they beat already-relegated Stockport (25-19, 16-25, 25-17, 25-19). 

The Miners Doncaster lost their final regular season match to South Yorkshire neighbours Sheffield despite winning the first set (24-26, 25-19, 25-14, 25-23) - but in the end it did not matter in terms of them sealing a play-off place. 

That was after Manchester Liberators also went down to a side below them in the table, succumbing in five at Everton Narwhals (15-25, 26-24, 22-25, 25-18, 15-10). 

Elsewhere, Newcastle Staffs put further daylight between themselves and the team just below them, Leeds Gorse 2, with a four-set success (21-25, 25-15, 27-25, 25-19). 

Results went to form in Division 2 East, where second-placed Cambridge 2 outgunned Herts (22-25, 29-27, 25-19, 25-21) and Richmond 2 beat Norwich Spikers in five (25-16, 12-25, 26-24, 19-25, 15-13). 

Sussex Dolphins beat their county rivals Worthing in straight sets, the latter having struggled all season (25-16, 25-20, 25-17). 

Oxford Eagles claimed the Division 2 West play-off spot after earning the win they needed at Tamworth Spartans, though it was tougher than they would have liked (25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 21-25, 15-10). 

Behind them, Black Country lost anyway, when only a win would do to keep their hopes alive, going down in four to Southampton (19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20). 

Reading Aces stretched their eventual winning margin at the summit as they came from a set down to beat bottom club Cardiff Falcons (18-25, 25-14, 25-22, 25-20). 

Wombourne enjoyed their final day outing as they swept to victory at Coventry and Warwick Riga (25-11, 25-20, 19-25, 25-16). 

Men’s NVL 

The potential three-way title race in Division 2 South only reached the first permutation, as leaders and favourites to be champions, Dartford Crossers, secured the necessary victory to get them over the line. 

They had a two-point lead at the top, meaning a win of any kind would be enough, but, in the end, they beat one of their rivals, Kent Invicta in four-sets (25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 25-19) to consign them to third position. 

In between, Richmond Bucks did their bit, beating Spelthorne Lions 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-15), but they came up just short across the course of the season to finish second. 

At the other end of the table, London Baks stayed up at Wiltshire Mavericks’ expense after winning a tense five-setter. 

The visitors did it in dramatic style, too, looking down and out only to complete a reverse sweep to stun their opponents and confirm their relegation (16-25, 15-25, 25-20, 25-18, 15-8). 

In the other match, Reading Aces recorded a comfortable straight sets success over Cardiff Panthers (25-22, 25-20, 25-19). 

Two games wrapped up the Division 2 Central season, where champions Oxford Bulls lost for only the third time, going down 22-25, 26-24, 29-27, 21-25, 15-12 in an extremely close-run game at Newmarket. 

Neither side’s position in the table changed as a result, with the Suffolk side finishing third. 

Elsewhere, Cambridge 2 found some solace following relegation as they won their final game at Division 2 level against Northampton (22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19). 

Lincoln Cannons were able to snatch second in Division 2 North on the last weekend, denying Everton Dugongs. 

While the Liverpudlians were beaten 3-1 at home by Darkstar Derbyshire (25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22), the East Midlanders were victorious on the road at Hull Thunder (20-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22). 

It meant a big points swing, with the Cannons finishing clear runners-up. 

Nottingham Rockets confirmed their safety at Hull’s expense as they powered to a straight sets triumph over Sheffield Springers (25-13, 25-15, 25-21). 

Mid-table Leeds Gorse 2 ended their campaign on a positive note as they got the better of Newcastle Staffs 2 (25-23, 25-20, 25-19). 

The celebrations were in full swing at Telford as they cliched the Division 3 Central championship title by three points from Birmingham City. 

They did so by winning all 16 games including, crucially, their final two at the weekend against Wombourne and Darkstar Derbyshire 2 (both 3-1). 

Darkstar won the other clash 3-0 in matches played at Derby Arena. 

Liverpool secured third place in Division 3 North as they were 3-0 victors at Harrogate, who in turn beat Manchester Moss Side Jaguars 3-2. 

York Vikings conceded their matches against Urmston Grammar and Manchester Marvels Marauders, before the former beat the latter 3-0 in the third triangular fixture to end fourth with an 8-8 seasonal record. 

London Wildcats jumped above Essex Estonians into third place in the final reckoning with a 3-1 triumph in their meeting at Leigh Academy, Blackheath. 

There were no fixtures in Division 3 South West, with the division already concluded. 

In Division 1 South, all teams played to round off their seasons, including champions Essex Blaze who were surprisingly beaten at Exeter Storm. 

The relegated Devon club’s 25-18, 25-22, 15-25, 26-24 triumph gives them some cause for optimism in what they hope will be a promotion push back in Division 2. 

Cambridge made sure of second place as they defeated IBB Polonia 3-1 at Cambridge University Sports Centre (25-19, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20). 

And they needed to win, too, after London Aces, who have finished the season strongly eventually came out on top against Bristol in a final-set showdown (21-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-19, 15-13), effecting a reverse sweep. 

At the bottom, Wessex could have leapfrogged Southampton had they come out on top in their meeting at Parkstone Grammar School, but a 3-0 defeat (25-22, 29-27, 25-13) condemned them to the drop and kept their South Coast rivals safe. 

There was also a full programme in Division 1 North, where champions Newcastle Staffs made it 12 victories from 14 matches for the 25-26 in one of three five-set matches in the division. 

They reverse swept Coventry and Warwick Riga (22-25, 22-25, 26,-24, 25-19, 15-5), while Rhinos Cambridge were edging to their own tight victory at home to Sheffield (25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 19-25, 15-12). 

As a result, Rhinos clinched second spot on set quotient from their West Midlands rival, an excellent achievement following promotion last season. 

Manchester Marvels were fourth as their victory over Black Country dropped their opponents to fifth (25-19, 25-18, 25-21). 

The clash between the two sides already relegated went in favour of the hosts as Tamworth Spartans prevailed 25-17, 25-22, 26-28, 21-25, 15-5 at Wilnecote Leisure Centre. 

Congratulations to all the NVL divisional winners, who will be invited to Cup Finals Weekend 2026 for a presentation ceremony on Saturday 25th April. 

The NVL play-off fixtures and schedule, with games to be played at Loughborough University on Sunday 19th April, will be announced later this week. 

Acton images by Simon Clarke, Nathaniel Macrae, Aimee Hollingsworth and @callm3pa 

Full NVL fixtures and results can be found here.    

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