Cheltenham clinched their fourth British League men's Super 5s title in six years as they defeated nearest rivals Lancaster 11-9 at the GL1 pool, Gloucester today.

Lancaster made the more convincing start, building an 8-4 lead after two quarters - but then collapsing in the face of a dynamic Cheltenham counterattack.

Ed Grundy was in sharp form for Lancaster early on, scoring three as his steam built a 5-3 lead in the first period and then continued to have the edge in the second.

Then, out of the blue, the game underwent a complete change. The initial impetus came from Cheltenham's Rob Parker with two fine goals from the centre-forward position. Exclusions for Tom Curwen and Glen Robinson brought Cheltenham level at 8-8 with man-up strikes from Cian Mulcahy and Marc Tarres. Then Marc Tarres fired in direct from a free throw seven metres out.

Suddenly, Cheltenham were ahead at 9-8 - and the transformation from 4-8 had taken place in just under four minutes!

After that, Cheltenham controlled most of the possession, scoring further goals through Michael Thomas and Marc Tarras before Curwen claimed a late consolation for Lancaster.

​Later, Manchester trailed Caledonia 3-0 in the first period but took the lead at the start of the second and were always ahead after that - winning 15-12.

Photos (Trevor Hyde): 

Top: Cian Mulcahy (white 13) shoots for Cheltenham watched by Lancaster's Tom Curwen and with Rob Parker in the background.

Above: Dan Paddon (white cap) in action for Manchester against Caledonia. The Scottish player is Chris Campbell.

The sixth season of BWPL's Super 5s reaches a thrilling conclusion at Gloucester's GL1 pool this weekend, with three teams - Manchester, Otter and Liverpool Lizards - very much in contention for the women's title and Cheltenham bidding for a fourth victory in the men's competition.

​This has been one of the most close-fought of BWPL campaigns. It needed the final quarter of the very last match to decide the champions in both men's Championship 1 and 2 - while promotion issues in all divisions have been disputed on their final weekend.

​The action at Gloucester begins at 1pm on Saturday and 10.30am, Sunday. Admission by programme, £3. 

Grantham Knights have announced their withdrawal from the British League. It means that Sheffield Dolphins will take the fifth position in next season's men's Division 5 - and avoid the qualification tournament at Walsall on 25 March.

​The Walsall event now involves Watford Saxons and Spalding, plus new applicants Coventry and Chelmsford. Up for grabs will be three places in Division 5. 

At Lancaster, Tyldesley and Invicta Marlins claimed the promotion places from men's championship 4 alongside champions Rotherham Metro.

​Tyldesley beat Bedford 14-10, including five goals by Addison Brown and four from Neil Williams while James Spencer-Boyce was on target five times in Invicta's 10-7 defeat of Grantham Knights.

Watford took the men's Championship 2 title at Gloucester today after the most dramatic of finishes. Their success hinged on the result which neither side in the very last match of the campaign - Welsh Wanderers against Worthing - prayed would happen.

Wanderers knew that victory would give them the title by drawing level on points with Watford - because they beat Watford the previous day. For Worthing, promotion beckoned if they took the points.

In the end, an 8-8 draw pleased only the watching Watford players. Wanderers settled for second place and promotion to Division 2. And, after pushing Wanderers all the way in a gripping match, Worthing ended with nothing. The third promotion spot went to Croydon Amphibians, who finished level on points with Worthing but won by a single goal when the sides met earlier in the season!

​Worthing made the better start against Wanderers as Joao Martins fired in three excellent goals to earn a 3-1 lead by the start of the second period. Wanderers gradually recovered and entered the final quarter all square at 6-6.

​In an intense period of pressure early in the final quarter, Wanderers twice hammered shots against the posts before Lewis Gilmour netted with a fine cross shot; then Joe Jenkins-Delf scored to give Wanderers a crucial 8-6 advantage.

​Worthing rallied again. Nathan Hart's strong breakaway and push shot cut the lead to 8-7; and, as the tension increased, it was Richard Hooper who levelled it at 8-8 with a man-up goal with 2.41 minutes left.

​Earlier, Croydon salvaged what proved to be a crucial point in a 14-14 draw with Ealing when Tom Andrews scored with six seconds remaining. Andrius Jankunas was the Ealing star with nine goals. Cambridge beat Southampton 13-11 - their only win in the Championship 2 programme.

​Picture (Trevor Hyde): Some of Watford's more optimistic players stayed on to see if the result of the Wanderers-Worthing clash would by any chance work in their favour - and they were rewarded with the Wally Rowse trophy! L-R: Danny Davis, Jared Baker, Steve Behr, Peter Pickford, Cameron Baker, Ciaran Walshe, James Warman.

Rotherham Metro celebrated their return to the British League by claiming the men's Championship 4 title at Lancaster today. They beat one of their main challengers, Tyldesley, 17-11, including four goals apiece for Craig Mellors and Richard Leighton.

Ben Caulfield's goal midway through the final quarter earned Grantham Knights a 6-5 win over Warwick while Caledonia Storm withstood a late rally from Bedford to take the points at 9-8. Four of the Caledonia goals were scored by 16-year-old Finlay Nesbitt.

Invicta beat Leeds 18-7 in the final match of day one.

​Picture: Rotherham players with their trophy at Lancaster. L-R: Stuart Skelton, Kevin Swainson (assistant coach), Michal Kucharski, Adam Troake, Giorgios Chatzopoulos, Daniel Hunt, Joshua Jennison, Neil Swainson, Samual Swainson, Craig Mellors, George Jackson, Mark Wade, Nicki Merry  (team manager), Jacob Skelton.

Welsh Wanderers destroyed Watford's 100 per cent record in men's Championship 2 at Gloucester today, winning 10-8 - and giving themselves a great chance of grabbing the title.

Watford began the match with a two-point lead over Wanderers - whose one previous defeat was against Southampton - but Wanderers' victory put them at the top of the table by virtue of this victory. Now, all depends what happens in the teams' final games tomorrow - Watford against Birmingham and Wanderers against Worthing.

Wanderers led 7-4 after three periods before Watford came to life, recovering to 7-6. But that was really the only time the Welsh were in danger. And they were in the clear once goals by Dan Laxton and Steffan Williams restored a 9-7 advantage.

Earlier, Croydon and Worthing maintained their interest in the promotion fight with wins respectively against Cambridge 18-11 and Birmingham 14-6.

Picture (Trevor Hyde): Watford goalkeeper Peter Pickford under pressure from the Welsh attack.

Two women's teams - City of Bristol and Cheltenham - will join the British League next season without the need to go through the play-off process.

Both were due to take part in a qualifying tournament involving teams that finished in the bottom three places in Division 3 last season. However, Polytechnic's departure from the League - plus the additional withdrawal today of Devonport - left four vacancies.

​It means that Bristol and Cheltenham join Sunderland and Sheffield Stingrays in Division 3 next September and the scheduled qualification event at Walsall on 8 April has been cancelled.

Tyldesley, Southampton and English Roses earned the promotion places from women's Championship 2 on the final weekend of competition at Northampton Boys' School. 

Liverpool Water Beatles, the champions, are not eligible to move up to Division 2 at the start of next season as Liverpool Liver Birds already compete in that division.

​Tyldesley soon secured their place, walloping Mid Sussex Marlins 24-7 - including a remarkable tally of 13 goals from the outstanding Grace Morley.

​Liverpool Water Beatles rounded off their programme by defeating Devonport 20-5. Fifteen-year-old Molly Boniface-Ashton's 11 goals in this match took her Championship total for the season to 44. And that was after notching 54 in the first phase! Clearly, a young lady with a big future!

​In women's Championship 2, promoted teams Caledonia and Hucknall both lost their final matches - respectively, 9-7 to Otter Lutra and 16-6 to champions Sheffield Sharks. Welsh Wanderers beat Manchester Comets 14-11, scoring seven times in the final quarter through Amy Potter (4), Nia Sanders (2) and Ailsa McPherson.

Sheffield Sharks had no problems securing the women's Championship 1 title at Liverpool today, hammering Penguin Emperors 17-2 to make it six wins from six matches. Danielle Elliot led the way with five goals.

The two remaining promotion places - earning Division 1 status at the start of next season - went to Caledonia and Hucknall.

Caledonia went 6-1 up early on against Welsh Wanderers and eventually won 14-8, including five goals from Hannah Edwards and three from Emma Bird. Hucknall beat Liverpool Liver Birds 10-4, five of their goals going to Amelia Peters.

In Championship 2 at Northampton Boys' School, Liverpool Water Beatles took the trophy, retaining their 100 per cent record from six matches with a narrow 8-6 win against Leeds Hammerheads.

​Photo (Trevor Hyde): Liverpool's Evie Jones (white cap) competes with Shevonne Lowth, of Leeds.