Australian Schools boys and girls teams arrive in the UK on Wednesday for an 11-day tour - and BWPL teams have rallied round to ensure its success!

"Several clubs - notably Lancaster, Manchester, Liverpool, Cheltenham, Sheffield and Otter - have been superb, either with direct help in staging games or in the organisation of regional selections," said UK organiser Trevor Pledger, who is a BWPL delegate. "Without this support, the tour would not have been possible."

Highlights of the programme include England v Australia girls' and boys' internationals at Jason Kenny Centre, Bolton, on Friday (19.00 and 20.30) and a double-header pitching Australia against England 2001s at Whitgift School, 15 December (18.00 and 19.30). The schedule also features a visit by the Romanian boys team. Other dates include:

6 Dec: North West, Liverpool Aquatic Centre, 19.00 and 20.30; 8 Dec: 4 games (14.00), East Manchester Centre, including England Boys v Romania. 9 Dec: 4 games, East Manchester, including Romania Boys v Australia. 10 Dec: North East, Matlock, 19.00 and 20.10. 11 Dec: Australia v Manchester Select, MAC, 19.00 and 20.30. 12 Dec: Australia v Cheltenham Select, Gloucester GL1, 19.30 and 21.00. 13 Dec: Australia v London School League Boys and Otter Select Girls, Whitgift, 19.00. 14 Dec: London Select, Whitgift, 13.30.

Lancaster will contest the men's Super 5s once again in the second half of the season - but how close they came to missing out!

At the start of their final match at Grantham against Durham Palatinates, Lancaster knew that a point would take them through - which, thanks to a brilliant seven-goal contribution from Tom Curwen (Photo: Trevor Hyde), is what they salvaged from a 10-10 draw. However, had Lancaster lost, the former Team Northumbria squad would have capped a splendid first campaign under their new name by taking fifth place.

There was never more than a goal between the sides until Graham Harrington's strike took Lancaster to 8-6 at the start of the final period. When Curwen slotted his seventh goal with 3.28 to go, the advantage was 10-8. Durham refused to give way, scoring through Zach White and finally, with 39 seconds remaining, through a man-up effort from John Pratt.

Invicta were held to an 8-8 draw by City of Sheffield. It was the third consecutive draw of the Grantham weekend - and Sheffield's third of the season. Invicta took a point when Jack Waller converted a penalty 33 seconds from the end.

In yet another very close match, Manchester made sure of finishing in first place with a 7-6 victory against Polytechnic. The London side hit back from 6-1 down to level at 6-6 only for James Warman to net a Manchester winner with 47 seconds left.

Tight finishes were maintained to the very end . . . Matt Madden's goal with a mere eight seconds remaining gave Solihull a 6-5 win against Cheltenham, who had fought back in the final period from 5-2 with goals by Matt Witcomb, Tom Hunt and Ali Arat.

Caledonia beat Hucknall 14-9 at the Jason Kenny Centre, Bolton, today, to finish fifth in women's Division 1 and clinch the all-important place in the Super 5s.

With Katelyn Fairchild scoring five times for Hucknall, the game was close until Caledonia broke clear in the final period with goals by Nicola Tate (2), Gael Drummond, Claire Moloney and Alison Tate (Photo: Trevor Hyde).

At the top of the table, City of Manchester also left it late to beat City of Coventry, the division's other undefeated team, 12-7. Coventry trailed only 8-7 at the start of the last quarter. Then Manchester took charge, with Isobel Howe claiming a hat-trick to take her match tally to six. 

Goals in the final period by Rebecca Mulcahy, Robyn Greenslade and Lily Turner clinch Otter's 9-7 victory over Liverpool Lizards after the teams began the final period at 6-6.

Manchester, Coventry, Otter, Liverpool and Caledonia will contest the Super 5s. Reward for Manchester in taking top spot is that they avoid playing two matches in a day during the second phase of the season.

Lily Turner scored five and Robyn Greenslade four as Otter outplayed women's Division 1 rivals Hucknall 18-4 when the British League staged its first event at the Jason Kenny Centre in Bolton today. The result ensured reigning champions Otter's place in the Super 5s in the second half of the season. 

Caledonia, chasing the fifth Super 5s position, went down 14-6 to Liverpool Lizards, for whom Katie Hesketh scored four.

City of Manchester made it six wins from six matches but it wasn't until the final quarter that they made sure of the points against Leeds Sharks. At the start of the last, Manchester were only 9-7 ahead; then four goals from Stephanie Whittaker and two from Emmie-Rose Eastwood took the final score to 15-8. Tegan Stanbach and Kelsey O'Brien notched hat-tricks for Leeds.

Coventry also chalked up their sixth win from six games - 10-5 against Sheffield Sharks, including goals from Kimberly Watson (4) and Ruby Versfeld (3). It set up the mouth-watering prospect of a clash with Manchester tomorrow to decide which team finishes top after phase one.

If Cheltenham felt any pressure to qualify once again for the men's Super 5s, it hardly showed at the new Division 1 venue of Grantham today. They moved well clear of trouble by winning their vital clash with Durham Palatinates 16-5, racing into a 9-3 lead after two periods.

Rudi Polster led the Cheltenham scoring with five and there were four more goals for 17-year-old Tom Hunt.

Manchester easily confirmed their Supers 5s slot, building a 9-4 half-time advantage on the way to a 14-10 victory over Sheffield.

Solihull also won, 12-9 against Polytechnic. The London side have performed strongly in all matches this season without registering an elusive first win and they pushed Solihull almost all the way. Poly were 6-4 up at one stage and pulled level at 8-8 when Joan Secanell scored at the end of the third period. After that, Solihull responded like true champions, scoring four times in the last - through Pawal Wielogorski, Jake Vincent, Arthur Davies and Jordan Elliot - before Luke Jones replied at the end. 

Later, Sheffield held Cheltenham to a 10-10 draw, Ali Arat ensuring a point for Cheltenham with the final goal less than two minutes from the end. A point revived Sheffield's chances of making the Super 5s, to be decided on the final day of competition tomorrow in matches involving the three challengers for fifth place,  Sheffield, Lancaster and Durham. Lancaster's 8-6 defeat by Invicta put them under pressure; Durham lost 9-6 to divisional leaders Manchester.

BWPL's programme reaches the halfway point this weekend as we make our first visit to the Jason Kenny Leisure Centre, Bolton, for women's Division 1, and men's Division 1 plays at Grantham for the first time.  

The matches will confirm the line-up for women's and men's Super 5s as well as Championship 1 in phase 2 - with a detailed schedule released next week. Fixtures for women's Championship 2 and men's Championship 2, 3 and 4 are now published. 

Stephen Bayles' six goals steered impressive men's Division 2 leaders Sutton & Cheam to a 12-9 victory over London rivals Penguin at Haberdashers - a result of great relief to Caledonia!

The Scots had earlier lost 13-11 to Exeter, which meant they had to rely on Sutton either winning or drawing to put them in Championship 1 in the second phase of the season.

A Penguin win would have put them level on points with Caledonia. And as Penguin and Caledonia drew earlier in the season, the positions of the two teams would been separated by goal difference - favouring Penguin!

Earlier, Scotland's other representatives, Portobello, finished their programme with a 12-8 defeat of Welsh Wanderers, including hat-tricks for Luca Pollock and Angelos Mongolias. Exeter's victory over Caledonia featured three goals each for Sam Alberici, Kameron Powell and Tom Hutchens. Matsim Makarov scored five for Caledonia.

Sutton, Exeter, Portobello, Welsh Wanderers and Caledonia move to Championship 1; Watford, Penguin and City of Bristol head for Championship 2.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Stephen Bayles in action for Sutton & Cheam.

The final afternoon of matches in women's Division 2 at Walsall produced lots of excitement - as well as plenty of shredded nerves!

Mid Sussex Marlins, for example, knew that a top five place - and promotion to Championship 1 - was likely to depend on them beating Tyldesley. They managed it - by 12-11 - but only when a goal by Jessica Street put them ahead for the very first time FOUR seconds from the end.

So then it was the turn of City of Birmingham, who needed victory over City of Bristol to secure their Championship 1 place. Thanks to a Sancha Tonks hat-trick, they led 6-3 early in the final quarter. Bristol then applied real pressure, responding with goals by Emily Watkins and Anna Robbins. However,  Birmingham just managed to hold on for a 6-5 win.

Earlier, English Roses blew their chances of a top five slot, drawing 6-6 with Penguin Emperors. So it will be Liverpool Liver Birds, Birmingham, Tyldesley, Bristol and Mid Sussex Marlins who progress to Championship 1, leaving the Roses, Otter Lutra and Penguin in Championship 2.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Birmingham's hat-trick girl, Sancha Tonks.

Caledonia condemned City of Bristol men to Championship 2 in the second half of the season after snatching a thrilling 13-12 win at Haberdashers today.

The Scots, who at the same time improved their prospects of a place in Championship 1, were 4-1 adrift but recovered to trail 6-5 towards the end of the second quarter. Remarkably, the game then followed a precise pattern - an equaliser by Caledonia, followed by a Bristol goal - until the game reached 10-10 early in the last.

At that point, Caledonia took charge, scoring three quick goals through Dominique Zahra, Chris Campbell and a fourth of the match from Logan Shepherd. Bristol replied through Nathan Brown and Tom Whiting, but too late to prevent a Scottish victory.

Exeter ensured Championship 1 status by beating Portobello 10-8. They hit back back from 7-5 down to lead 9-7 in the third period thanks to two goals each from Oriol Matas and Kameron Powell. 

In the meeting of the division's two top sides, Sutton & Cheam defeated Welsh Wanderers 10-7, with ex-international Chris Evans netting six. Later, Portobello clinched a Championship 1 slot by beating Watford 12-8.

Liverpool Liver Birds retained their unbeaten record in women's Division 2 at Walsall today when a goal from Gina Lay just 16 seconds from the end secured a 9-8 victory over Tyldesley.

Tyldesley had led 8-6 at the start of the last quarter but two goals from Charlotte Hopwood, taking her match tally to six, levelled things; then Lay claimed the winner.

Liverpool's undefeated record didn't last long! In their second game, they went down 6-2 to City of Bristol, Heather Tomlinson scoring a late hat-trick to decide the match. Bristol also won 8-5 against Penguin Emperors, guaranteeing a slot in Championship 1 in the second half of the season alongside the Liver Birds and City of Birmingham. Birmingham secured their place by beating Mid Sussex Marlins 12-8, including goals from Lauren Keight (4), Pia Tonks (3) and Jenny Quirk (3). 

Imogen Smith's fourth goal - and another with five seconds remaining from Emily Campbell-Lamerton - earned Otter Lutra a 9-7 victory over English Roses.