The battle for the women's Super 5s title was transformed into a three-horse race as Otter pulled off a dramatic late victory over Liverpool Lizards at Lancaster today.

​Lizards were beaten 6-5 - their first defeat in three seasons of Super 5s competition. The teams had been evenly matched throughout, with the score level at 3-3 after two quarters and 4-4 after three.

​A Hazel Musgrove penalty - her third goal of the match - then edged Liverpool ahead only for Claudia Ferrone to equalise. And it remained nervously locked at 5-5 until just six seconds from the end, when Cecily Turner struck with the Otter winner.

​With Manchester beginning the day with an 11-6 victory over Coventry, everything is set for a spectacular finale at Gloucester on 18/19 March. Manchester will go there with a one-point lead over Otter and Liverpool. And Manchester's remaining games? Against Otter and Liverpool!

​Picture (Bury PS Sports Group): Togetherness . . . Otter's girls prepare for their crunch clash with Liverpool.

Solihull completed a brilliant men's Super 5s double at Lancaster today, following up a 13-9 victory over Manchester by inflicting the first defeat of the season - 7-6 - on champions Cheltenham.

​Against Manchester, Solihull had taken charge with a spectacular display in the third period, scoring five goals without reply - from Arthur Davies, Ben Greenhill, Nick Beard, Jordan Elliot and Jake Vincent.

​Teams taking their turn on playing two games in a day often suffer in the second outing - but not Solihull. They went 6-5 down at the start of the last period against Cheltenham when Albert Tarres converted a man-up opportunity. But Cheltenham offences then gave the Midlanders a sniff of victory - and they grabbed it with both hands. Peter Farkas's penalty levelled it at 6-6 before Jordan Elliot netted the winner from a man-up chance.

Lancaster's Tom Curwen, the men's Super 5s top marksman once again this season, took his tally to 20 with four more in a 12-5 success against Caledonia. Cheltenham's defeat, combined with today's battling efforts by Lancaster and Solihull, have put a very different complexion on the struggle for the championship. Before today, Cheltenham were hot favourites. Now, a third title is no longer a formality.

Liverpool Lizards maintained their bid for a third consecutive women's Super 5s title with a comfortable 11-2 victory over Leeds Sharks at the Salt Ayre Pool, Lancaster, today. Beth Bolton claimed four of their goals.

​Otter maintained their strong start to the campaign, defeating Coventry 10-4, including two goals each for Katherine Rogers, Peggy Etiebet, Emma Hamilton-Foster and Claudia Ferrone.

Sisters Anya Clapperton (5) and Ella Clapperton (4) led the scoring for Manchester in a 16-6 defeat of Leeds.

Craig Mellors scored seven as Rotherham Metro chalked up their third win in men's championship 4 at Haberdashers today - 18-14 against Invicta Marlins. At the other end of the table, Warwick collected their first points with a 12-7 victory over Bedford.

​Oliver Rhodes (4) and Addison Brown (3) led the scoring for Tyldesley in a 13-6 defeat of Grantham Knights. Later, Invicta Marlins withstood a late rally from Warwick to win 8-7.

​Photo (Trevor Hyde): Tyldesley's Adam Toone (blue cap) battles with Dan Korcz, of Grantham Knights. Tyldesley won 13-6.

Watford went clear at the top of men's Championship 2 by completing their fifth win at the Haberdashers pool - 15-7 against Croydon. The victory featured goals by 11 different players!

The finale for the division takes place at Gloucester on 11/12 March, when Watford's programme includes a clash with second-placed Welsh Wanderers.

Picture (Trevor Hyde): Watford goalkeeper Peter Pickford in action at Haberdashers.

Liverpool Water Beatles made it five wins from five games at the top of women's Championship 2 at Walsall, beating Southampton 7-3. The division's top scorer, 15-year-old Molly Boniface-Ashton, was again on target with four goals.

​Leeds Hammerheads trailed Mid Sussex Marlins 5-2 at one stage but recovered to win 14-13, including goals by Jasmine Littler (5) and Shevonne Lowth (4). English Roses beat Tyldesley 9-6, hitting back strongly after trailing 6-4. There will be plenty to play for at the division's finale weekend, with four teams on six points behind the Water Beatles.

​In Championship 1, Caledonia moved up to second place with a 13-7 victory over Liverpool Liver Birds. Sheffield Sharks stay top - they completed an easy fifth win, 22-4 against Manchester Comets.

Otter moved to the top of men's Championship 3 at Haberdashers today with a 20-11 victory over Bridgefield.

​The result was never in doubt once the London club hammered seven goals without reply in the opening quarter. Their leading scorers were Daniel Shunn (5), Nikolaos Roussos (3) and Ivan Martinelli (3).

​Crunch time for Otter will arise when the divisional programme concludes at Walsall on 25/26 February. Otter's final matches are against two of their main rivals for the title - Portobello and Castleford - neither of whom played this weekend.

The season looked a little brighter for Hucknall men today when they won for the first time in men's Championship 3 at Haberdashers - 15-9 against Cheltenham Spartans.

​Hucknall scored six in the first period before Cheltenham registered their first goal. Leading marksmen for Hucknall were Sam Joyce (4), Robert Smith (3) and Chris Ray (3).

​It was a good day, too, for Hucknall's women - although they almost slipped up in a dramatic finale to their Championship 1 match with Welsh Wanderers. Hucknall started the final quarter with a 7-6 lead, which they soon improved to 10-6. Then Wanderers called two time-outs and scored three times in an all-action last minute - but couldn't prevent a 10-9 Hucknall victory.

Watford held on to their 100 per cent record in men's Championship 2 - but they left it late at the Haberdashers' pool to secure an 8-7 victory over Southampton.

Five goals by Goran Sablic had ensured that Watford led for most of the match. But they had a scare at the start of the final period when goals by Josh MacLean and Panagiotis Logothetis brought Southampton back from 7-5 down to 7-7.

That's how it stayed until 1.26 from the end when a goal by Ciaran Walshe secured a fourth win for Watford.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Goran Sablic (blue cap) fires in another shot at Southampton goalkeeper Mike Sheath.

City of Liverpool teams experienced mixed British League fortunes at Walsall today. In women's Championship 1, the Liver Birds led Manchester Comets 6-5 after three periods, but then goals by Robyn Greenslade, Maisy Clapperton and Thea Simpson earned the Comets an 8-7 win.

In women's Championship 2 at Walsall, the Water Beatles made it four wins from four at the top of the table, beating promotion rivals Tyldesley 7-4. Emily Pyper's two goals in the final period made sure of the points for Liverpool. 

Hucknall moved up to third place in women's Championship 1, beating Otter Lutra 10-8 at Haberdashers School pool. The London side led 7-5 in the third period but were then hit by a Hucknall onslaught featuring goals by Georgia Bosworth (2), Anna Lord, Rachael Endy and Stasja Llic.

​Sheffield Sharks were only 5-3 ahead at the halfway stage against Caledonia but then overwhelmed the Scots on the way to a 20-5 victory.