After much careful debate at a teleconference meeting last night (17 March), the British League Committee made a number of key decisions. These include:

Deducting five points (Rule 108.2.6) from Caledonia and Portobello for not attending the men’s Championship 1 finale at Grantham last weekend; and from York City for not fulfilling two Championship 3 fixtures at Haberdashers.

Confirming both the cancellation of the Super 5s finale at Coventry and the award of the men’s title to City of Manchester, whose girls had already won the women’s competition.

Cancelling the Champions Cup, due on 25/26 April, but with a firm commitment to reinstate it next year.

Postponing the men’s and women’s qualification tournaments until September.

Postponing the League’s annual meeting, due on 10 May.

Confirming Polytechnic as champions of men’s Championship 1 (Cheltenham waived their opportunity to challenge).

Caledonia’s points deduction ends their promotion chances from men’s Championship 1. Polytechnic and Cheltenham have already qualified. There are three teams on equal points in third place – Sutton & Cheam, Watford and Welsh Wanderers. To determine which one goes up, they will be invited to complete this season’s matches against each other before the start of the start of the 2020/21 campaign.
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All the above, of course, is a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Swim England have cancelled all their events between now and the end of May.

Hucknall and Croydon Amphibians will join champions Cheltenham Spartans in Division 3 next season after success on the final weekend of men's Championship 3 at Haberdashers.

Rotherham Metro finished level on points with Hucknall and Croydon. But, despite excellent wins against Cheltenham and Southampton, they missed out as a result of defeats against their rivals earlier in the season.

Croydon made sure of a top three spot with a 19-4 defeat of Tyldesley. Hucknall beat Bridgefield 14-11.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Rotherham's Oliver Fodden lines up a shot today against Michael Sheath, who had an outstanding game in goal for Southampton.

Rotherham Metro staged a brilliant recovery to beat Cheltenham Spartans 15-14 in men's Championship 3 at Haberdasher's Aske's School today. But defeat did not prevent Spartans clinching the trophy. After winning their first five matches, Cheltenham began the weekend four points clear of their nearest rivals - and guaranteed to retain top spot as they will claim two more points tomorrow from the non-appearance of scheduled opponents York City.

Cheltenham were never behind against Rotherham - until the last 27 seconds of the match.

Spartans seemed to be cruising to victory as they went 11-7 up in the third period. Then Rotherham hit back, pulling up to a goal adrift at 12-11 with goals by Oliver Vodden (2) and Craig Mellors (2). Cheltenham rallied again, a couple of goals by Michael Thomas and Rob Parker's seventh of the match establishing a 14-12 lead.

Back, once again, came Rotherham. Mellors scored, then Vodden claimed his seventh of the game from a man-up to make it 14-14. Just 27 seconds remained when Sam Swainson hit a winner.

Whether Rotherham will claim one of the three promotion places is still open to question - it will be decided on the final day tomorrow. Croydon kept themselves in the hunt by defeating Bridgefield 10-7, including two goals each from Jon Cannon, Kevin Steele, Ben Dubben and Sam Adamson.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Cheltenham celebrate. L-R: David Taylor, Stuart McKie, Will Cook, Michael Thomas, Daniel Day, James Willis, George Glover, Luke Tubby, Henry Redman, Taylor Walsh, David Edwards, Xander McKie, James Ross, James Walsh (assistant coach) and Rob Parker.

The men’s Championship 1 finale at Grantham this weekend has been CANCELLED. Apologies for the very late notice, but the League only became aware very late tonight (13 March) that, due to concerns about the coronavirus, a couple of teams were not attending.
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York City have withdrawn from the men’s Championship 3 event at Haberdasher’s School. But other matches will take place as scheduled.

Caledonia had already won the women’s Championship 1 crown – but they couldn’t finish at Walsall today with a perfect record. Their final match ended in an 11-10 defeat by Hucknall, for whom Rachael Lewin scored four and India Wilkinson three.

Hucknall stormed into a 6-0 lead before the Scots started to play catch-up, cutting the deficit to 10-9 halfway through the final period. Both teams progress to Division 1 next season along with Tyldesley, who won 16-10 against Birmingham, including goals from Jordan Parsons (4), Grace Morley (3) and Holly Toone (3). 
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Mid Sussex Marlins left it until their last game of the campaign to register a first win – 15-10 against Sheffield Stingrays.

Photo: Caledonia players celebrate with trophy and medals at Walsall. L-R back row: Jess Ivy, Caitlin McRobbie, Nicola Tate, Emma Bird, Gael Drummond. Middle: Rowan Foulner, Claire Moloney, Leah Bullough, Laura Mathewson, Susan Johnstone, Niamh Moloney, coach Theo Bampouras. Front: Esme McGregor, Victoria Witko, Alison Tate.
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​ Champions Penguin rounded off the men’s Championship 2 season with an emphatic 16-5 defeat of Manchester Hawks at Haberdashers, including four goals each for Lorenzo Cacciola and Giampaolo de Rosa.

Hawks will still move up to Division 2 next September. They finished level on points with Worthing, but finished in the top three thanks to a narrow win over Worthing earlier in the season.
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It was tough on Worthing, who enjoyed an excellent final weekend with victories over Castleford, 14-8, and, today, against Durham Palatinates, 16-10. The Durham game was a close affair – 8-8 half way through the third period before Worthing scored three quick goals through Ben Curtis, Sam Cooper and Joao Martins. Durham recovered again to trail 11-10 but the final period saw Worthing break clear again through Martins (3), George Wood and Elliot Hurst.

Otter made sure of the other promotion place with a hard-earned 11-9 victory over Birmingham. It was 6-6 early in the third period and, thanks to a Drazen Videc hat-trick, Birmingham recovered from 9-6 down to trail 10-9 before Nicholas Corjon ensured an Otter win 46 seconds from the end. 

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Penguin players celebrate at Haberdashers today. L-R: Matteo Baldelli, Alexander Waller, Giampaolo de Rosa, Yasutaka Ota, Filippo Varetta, Elliot McHugh, James Salt, Joseph Ortiz, Bence Kadar, Toby Roberts, Lorenzo Cacciola, Dragos Ungureanu.
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With a little bit of assistance from their London rivals Otter, Penguin today clinched the men’s Championship 2 title at Haberdashers.

It took Penguin a while to shake off resistance from Birmingham, but their 3-0 first quarter lead, improved to 5-3 after three, led to a dominant final period in which goals by Charles Kingsmill Giampaolo de Rosa, Toby Roberts and Drago Ungereanu gave Penguin a final winning margin of 9-4.

At that point, Manchester Hawks could still in theory have robbed Penguin of top spot (the Hawks face Penguin tomorrow). But Otter ended conjecture by hammering the Hawks 18-7, including contributions from Nicholas Corjon (5), Alex Zachariades (4) and Nikos Zavitsanos (4). 
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Travis Bouscaren was again in goal-scoring form for Durham Palatinates, netting eight in a 15-12 defeat of City of Bristol.

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Penguin defenders at full stretch to keep out Birmingham at Haberdashers today.
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Caledonia powered their way to the women’s Championship 1 title at Walsall today, maintaining a 100 per cent record with a runaway 23-6 victory against Mid Sussex Marliins. Victoria Witko, Niamh Moloney and Leah Bullough (Photo: Trevor Hyde) all bagged four goals.

Hucknall made sure of one of three promotion places to Division 1, beating Sheffield Stingrays 15-6.

​Welsh Wanderers’ 12-4 defeat of Birmingham featured six goals by Lowri Skyrme.
Also in the goals was Tyldesley's Honor Grimes, who scored five in a 13-7 win against City of Bristol. 

With a whole weekend of competition yet to be played, City of Manchester made sure of retaining the women’s Super 5s title with an 11-5 victory over Otter at East Manchester. Four unanswered goals in the first period put Manchester in charge; Steph Whittaker (Photo: Trevor Hyde) led the scoring with four.

Manchester also have one hand on the men’s trophy as they move to the finale weekend at Coventry on 21/22 March with a four-point lead over nearest rivals Sheffield. In truth, there is only the remotest of mathematical possibilities that they can be overhauled. In simple terms, one more point from remaining games against Sheffield and Solihull will ensure top spot.

Super 5s leading scorer Dan Paddon notched four in Manchester’s latest win, 14-5 against Lancaster.

With Jake Vincent scoring five and Ryan Padbury four, Solihull led Sheffield 10-6 early in the final quarter. Then Sheffield sprung to life, goals by Finlay Parnell, Stefano Cossutti and Chris Armstrong hauling them back into the game. Just 34 seconds remained when Joel Abbott converted the penalty that left the sides locked at 10-10.

With Rotherham Metro already crowned champions, main interest on the final day of the women’s Championship 2 season at Northampton focused on the two additional promotion places to Division 2 next September.

Exeter had little difficulty securing their spot with a 13-8 defeat of English Roses, including three goals each for Ella-Louise Jones and Jessica Garrad.

The very last match turned into a winner-takes-all battle between Otter Lutra and Liverpool Liver Birds for third place. Liverpool won a nervy affair 9-7. It wasn’t until the end of the third period that Rachel Tibke’s goal put them ahead for the first time at 7-6. Hannah Gilbert added another in the final quarter, but victory wasn’t assured until Charlotte Hopwood claimed her sixth strike 33 seconds from the end.
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Earlier, Rotherham finished their programme in confident style, beating Southampton 15-7. The Rotherham girls are pictured with the Championship 2 trophy and their medals. Back row, L-R: Alex Robinson, Fliss Leighton, Kitty Price, Kate Parkin,  Fran Leighton. Middle: Vicky Bowen, Beckie Lee, Lucy Hobman, Emma Jackson. Front: Holly Pritchard, Poppy Stephenson, Emily Crossley and, holding the trophy, captain Amber Linney. 
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