After drawing 11-11 with Welsh Wanderers on day one at Bolton in men’s Championship 2, Portobello did it again – 11-11 against City of Bristol!

The Scots were 11-8 at the start of the final period, but Bristol hit back through George Razmadze followed by two goals from Will Thompson, who finished with five.

There was another close affair as Watford edged out Exeter 13-12. Goals by Kameron Powell and Adrian Carrieri brought Exeter level after they trailed 12-10 in the last quarter. But Gellert Peresztegi had the last word for Watford, converting a man-up chance with 1.16 to go.
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Sutton & Cheam withstood a late rally from Otter to win the London derby 11-9. Ryan Symington bagged four for the winners. Joe-Jenkins-Delf (Photo: Trevor Hyde) scored eight as Welsh Wanderers hammered Manchester Hawks 26-4.

​Rotherham Metro and Southampton were the only teams to win both games in men's Division 3. Ben Greenhill scored five as Rotherham defeated Cheltenham Spartans while there were hat-tricks for Jacob Graham, Dan Shunn and Jackson Mullins in Southampton's 12-9 success against the British Army. 

Sutton & Cheam began the men’s Division 2 campaign at breakneck speed, racing into a 6-nil lead against Watford at Haberdashers. The game was more even after that but, with Stephen Bayles scoring five, Sutton finished comfortable winners at 12-7.

Luca Pollock, who scored four goals, led a dramatic fightback at Bolton by Portobello, who were 8-4 down early in the last period against Welsh Wanderers before drawing 11-11. Dan Laxton’s fourth goal edged Wanderers 11-10 ahead only for Ed Grundy to net the final Portobello goal with a minute left.

City of Bristol beat Manchester Hawks 11-4, taking charge in the second quarter when they struck four times without reply. Kameron Powell (Photo: Trevor Hyde) and Cody Plumridge both scored four in Exeter’s 20-16 defeat of Otter.

In men’s Division 3, Rotherham raced into a 6-nil lead against Hucknall, who recovered sufficiently to level at 8-8 in the last. At that point, Rotherham stirred again and won 11-8 with goals by Sam Swainson, Oliver Vodden – his fifth – and Craig Mellors.

Late goals by Harrison Walsh, Aaron Downer and Jeroen Cornelissen rescued a point for Cheltenham Spartans against Castleford. Castleford had led 9-6 after three periods.
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Croydon briefly edged into an 11-10 lead in the final quarter against Southampton, who hit back with goals by Charles Roberts, Jacob Graham, Jean-Christophe Heib and Dan Shun to win 14-11. Worthing defeated the British Army 10-6 after taking a 5-nil first quarter lead.

​Photo, below: Refs on duty at Habs . . . L-R: Dave Murphy, Croatian guest Luka Markovic, Vicki Hawkins, Ivan Foretic and Max Gerasimov. 

Otter took control early on in their women's Division 1 clash with Liverpool Lizards at Ponds Forge today and eventually completed an impressive 13-9 win.

Liverpool pulled up from 8-3 down to 8-6 at one point in the third period, but that was as close as it got. Leading scorers for Otter were Toula Falvey (3), Katy Cutler (2), Isabelle Dean (2) and Erin Andrews (2) while Katie Hesketh netted four for Liverpool.

Later, in Division 2, Liverpool Liver Birds salvaged a point against Otter Lutra when Roisin O'Connor scored just one second from the end to square the match at 10-10.

Coventry matched City of Manchester in Division 1 until a decisive final period. It began with Amy Berry bringing Coventry level at 7-7 with her fourth strike. But Izzy Howe quickly made it 8-7 to Manchester; Lucy Blankinship added another with 32 seconds to go, giving Manchester the points at 9-7.

Sheffield Sharks were too strong for Exeter, winning 18-6. Anna Motley (Photo: Trevor Hyde)  top scored with six.

The weekend ended dramatically as Hucknall beat Tyldesley 9-8 in Division 1. Grace Morley brought Tyldesley level at 8-8 with 50 seconds remaining - followed by a winner from Abi Turner on 24 seconds.
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The British League committee have confirmed arrangements for divisional play-offs at the end of this season. These take place for women at Bolton on 11/12 March and for men at Haberdashers, 15/16 April.

Both competitions are required following the decision to reduce the size of BWPL over the next two years, a process that begins in the second phase of this season, with women's Championship 2 and men's Championships 3 and 4 all cut. 

The play-offs are designed to ensure that a door remains open for any competing team to retain League membership in the long term. This is how they will operate:

Women: After this season's phase one, the bottom two teams in Division 2 and top two in Division 3 compete in a mini league tournament for two places in Division 2 in 2023/24.
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Men: Two qualify for Division 3 next year from a four-team mini league involving the bottom two from Division 3 in the first half of this season and the top two from Division 4. Same scenario for bottom two in Division 4 and top two in Division 5.

Coventry were made to work hard for a 10-7 victory over Hucknall in women's Division 1 at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, today. The game was even until Coventry powered clear in the final quarter with goals by Amy Berry, Rhianne Oscroft, Vicki Hawkins and Abi Martin-Hicks.

Earlier, champions City of Manchester began with an 18-6 win against Tyldesley. Two excellent goals by Grace Morley helped Tyldesley to snatch a 3-2 early lead. But Manchester then took charge, with Izzy Howe (4), Harriet Dickens (4), Steph Whittaker (3) and Brooke Tafazolli (3) leading the scorers.

Katy Cutler scored six in Otter's 18-7 win against Sheffield Sharks while, in Division 2, Otter Lutra recovered from 12-9 down in the last quarter to draw 12-12 with Caledonia thanks to goals by Grace Turner, Emma Gaffrey and Audrey Tala. Exeter's debut in Division 1 ended in a 13-5 defeat at the hands of Liverpool Lizards.

Fran Leighton (5) and Emily Crossley (5) led Rotherham Metro to a 12-9 success against Penguin Emperors, also in Division 2. Cheltenham's 17-9 victory over Mid Sussex Marlins featured six goals by Amelie Perkins.
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In women's Division 3, Amy Knell netted six for Sheffield Stingrays in a 12-8 win against newcomers Solihull. Kirkintilloch & Kilsyth hit back from 6-2 in arrears to lead 9-7 against Watford, but Watford snatched a draw late on at 10-10. Lottie Winstanley scored six for Watford; Eurenia Arbus excelled for the Scots, with four.

During the day, players and officials acknowledged the outstanding career of Liverpool's former BWPL president Gordon Dacre, who died recently, with a minute's applause. 

Photo: Emmie-Rose Eastwood leads a Manchester attack against Tyldesley today.

Impressive Sedgefield raced to another emphatic win in men’s Division 4 at Bolton, outplaying Bridgefield 16-6. John Pratt (6) and Ben Alderson led the scoring.

Watford Saxons also won for a second time – 11-8 against Birmingham – to become the early joint leaders with Sedgefield. The sides clash at the next Division 4 weekend at Ponds Forge next month.

After two defeats on day one, Tyldesley, led by six-goal Addison Brown, edged out Caledonia Storm 11-10. The Scots recovered from 6-3 down to claim a brief lead at 9-8 thanks to Jack Robertson’s fourth goal. But Oliver Rhodes notched a man-up winner for Tyldesley just 59 seconds from the end.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): John Pratt in action for Lancaster last season.

Sheffield Dolphins finished the opening weekend of men’s Division 5 matches as the only undefeated team as they outplayed Radcliffe 15-5 at Bolton.

Northampton, winners of both their games on day one, went down 13-12 to Colchester, Adam Lecomber scoring the winner – his fifth of the game – 2.44 from the end. The match was close throughout, Northampton edging ahead for the first time at 12-11 25 seconds from the end of the third period thanks to a Sam Murray goal.

The advantage lasted just 41 seconds. Zach Beale equalised at the start of the last – followed by Lecomber’s clincher. Beale finished with three goals; other Colchester scorers were Simon Lecomber (2), Ben Chapman (2) and Will Champman. 
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Chester recovered from 6-3 down to level at 6-6 against York. But York controlled the final period when goals by Will Tomlinson, Nick Boaz and Ed Tomlinson secured a 9-6 win. 

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Colchester's Simon Lecomber.

Three goals in the opening period by Alex Saunders (Photo: Trevor Hyde) put Bridgefield on the road to an 11-6 victory over Caledonia Storm in men’s Division 4 at Bolton’s Jason Kenny Centre.

Bridgefield followed up with a win against Tyldesley. City of Birmingham, impressive 20-7 winners of the Midlands derby against Coventry, and Bridgefield were the only teams to complete day one with four points from two matches.

In men’s Division 5, Northampton chalked up their second victory – 9-3 against Invicta Marlins at Haberdashers, including another five-goal haul for Cristin Banarescu. Sheffield Dolphins trailed 6-5 to York City after three quarters but then goals by Devsim Sacmacioglu, Matt Partrdige, Matt Collier and Miles Ralston secured a 9-6 victory.
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A goal 25 seconds from the end by Lele Bontempi earned Avondale an 11-10 win against Colchester. 

Sedgefield made a storming start to the men’s Division 4 campaign at the Jason Kenny pool, Bolton, today, hammering Tyldesley 26-11. Ben Stephenson (6), Ben Alderson (4) and John Pratt (4) were the chief marksmen.

City of Birmingham also won comfortably at Haberdashers – 18-10 against Newport. Alun Chesworth scored six.

There were much closer finishes in men’s Division 5. In the battle of two League newcomers, Northampton won 10-9 against Avondale. Northampton were 10-6 up with 3.27 to go, Cristin Banarescu netting five. Then, in double quick time, they conceded goals by Stef Pecilj (2) and Ben Fitton – and will have been relieved that Avondale were unable to convert a man-up chance in the last few seconds.
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Sheffield Dolphins and Chester drew 9-9, a topsy-turvy game in which Dolphins recovered from 3-0 down to lead 6-3 at one stage. Miles Ralston (Photo: Trevor Hyde) led the Sheffield scoring with four. Paul Williams contributed four for Chester.   

Following the withdrawal of Solihull men from BWPL, Ryan Padbury, the club’s top marksman in last season’s Super 5s, has joined Lancaster.

The giant left-hander (Photo:  Trevor Hyde) will add considerable firepower to a Lancaster squad that already includes the likes of Tom Curwen and Glen Robinson.

Padbury must wait to make a debut for his new club as it’s not until 8/9 October that men's Division 1 makes a start at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

The full League programme gets under way this weekend when men’s Divisions 4 and 5 play matches at the Jason Kenny Centre, Bolton, and Haberdashers School. Both will take place, as scheduled.

​The following weekend – 24/25 September – women's teams take over Ponds Forge for a full schedule of games in Divisions 1, 2 and 3.