Penguin made the perfect start to the men's Championship 2 campaign at Watford today. Alex Waller, Giampaolo de Rosa and James Salt all claimed hat-tricks in a 14-9 victory over London rivals Otter; then Penguin pulled off what could prove to be a vital 11-9 win over Durham Palatinates.

Durham were actually 6-1 up early on only for Penguin to hit back and grab a 7-6 lead. The game went to 8-8 after three periods, then 9-9, before late goals by de Rosa and Charles Kingsmill clinched the points.

Matches in men's Championship 2 and 3 were split between two venues today - Watford and Gloucester.

At Gloucester, Drazen Videc's four goals helped earn Birmingham a 14-12 win against Manchester Hawks. The young Hawks team bounced back in style later on, edging out Worthing 10-9. Key to this success was Manchester's speedy start - they led 5-0 before Worthing settled, the goals coming from Brett Takemoto (2), Conor Lynch, Tom Simpson and Marcus Crompton. From 10-5 down, Worthing hit back near the end through Vytautas Liubertas, Elliott Hurst and Joe Hazeldine (2) - just too late to deprive the Hawks of a good win.

City of Bristol outplayed Birmingham 22-13. There were also goals aplenty in Championship 3 - Croydon thumped York 22-8, including six goals from Csaba Rekasi, while Cheltenham Spartans' star-studded team, led by nine-goal Rob Parker, swamped Tyldesley 28-13. Hucknall beat Rotherham Metro 12-7 after taking a 6-0 lead; Alex Saunders and Harry Dunkerley both netted four for Bridgefield, 14-10 winners against Southampton.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Otter's Pier Spagna in action against Penguin.

Early warning! The M6 is due to close between Preston and Lancaster (Junction 32-33) during the next three weekends. This, inevitably, will have a significant impact on teams travelling to a couple of BWPL events and we strongly recommend allowing extra journey times. The closures will also affect the alternative A6 route. The League events are:

18/19 January: Women’s Championship 1, Matlock
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25/26 January: Men’s Championship 1 and 4, Lancaster.
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Rotherham Metro girls won their three matches to establish a strong lead at the head of women’s Championship 2 after the first weekend of matches at Walsall.

They had to work hard for their third success, defeating Exeter 11-9. The Devon side held a narrow lead for much of the game but the turning point came late on when Emma Jackson, celebrating her 16th birthday, scored twice to take Metro from 8-8 to 10-8. Emma Raymond replied for Exeter when Rotherham had a player excluded – and Rotherham then missed a penalty. The points were not secured until Lucy Hobman netted for Rotherham 11 seconds from the end.
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There was another close finish as Liverpool Liver Birds edged out Cheltenham 10-9. It was 8-8 early in the final period; then Bethan Richards’ fourth goal and a sixth of the match from Charlotte Hopwood made sure of victory.
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Sheffield Dolphins and City of Newport are the early pacesetters in men’s Championship 4, both teams taking five points from three matches during the first weekend of the campaign at Haberdasher’s Aske’s School.  The teams had drawn a thriller on day one, 15-year-old Corran Bradley scoring the goal just six seconds from the end that brought Dolphins to 12-12.

​Arshia Keyghobadi (Photo: Trevor Hyde) led the way for Dolphins in their third match – he scored nine in a 12-8 defeat of the British Army. Newport trailed 8-5 to Chester at the end of the second period but five goals without reply in the third – by James Farror (2), Luke Turner (2) and Chris Taylor – ensured a 13-10 win.

Leeds went 7-0 up midway through the second period on the way to beating Cambridge 12-9. Emanuele Bontampi and Scott Modra both notched hat-tricks for the winners.

Rotherham Metro were the only team to complete the first weekend of matches in women's Championship 2 at Walsall with two victories. Emily Crossley's five goals ensured a 13-6 victory over English Roses; then Emma Jackson netted four in a 17-8 defeat of Otter Lutra.

Fifteen-year-old Charlotte Martin, of Cheltenham, found herself very much the centre of attention as Cheltenham came from behind to defeat Otter Lutra 6-5..
Early in the final period, the London side edged into a 5-4 lead thanks to a goal by Lindsey Williams. Almost immediately, Martin equalised, but then conceded a penalty – which Otter missed. The Cheltenham winner came with more than four minutes still to play – thanks, once again, to Martin.
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Cheltenham trailed 6-1 after the first period against English Roses but recovered to draw 11-11. Former GB goalkeeper Jenny Braddock (photo, Trevor Hyde) scored five for Roses.

Newport began the men’s Championship 4 programme at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School today in positive fashion, defeating Coventry 16-9. They relied very much on the goal power of two of their most experienced players – Chris Taylor, who scored six, and James Farror (4).
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Matt Elliott bagged six for Coventry, but Newport were always in charge after building a 7-3 lead in the second period.

Sheffield Dolphins beat Leeds 15-7 in the Yorkshire derby, including goals by Miles Ralston (4), Arshia Keyghobadi (3), Corran Bradley (2), Connor Charles (2) and Ethan Carpenter (2).

Chester scored first against the British Army but ended the second quarter 7-1 in arrears. The Army eventually won 13-9.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Newport goalie Alex James saves a penalty against Coventry today.
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