Men's champions Cheltenham went down 12-7 to City of Manchester in their opening men's Division 1 game at Ponds Forge today.

Manchester trailed 4-3 after the first period but were comfortably in command after that, Aaron Winstanley claiming four goals and Charles Booth and Dan Paddon two each.

Invicta and Sheffield shared the points in a 12-12 thriller. Towards the end of the third period, Sheffield were 10-7 up and looking good. But Invicta hit back to 10-10 before Sheffield briefly went 12-11 up - only for Ed Govier to salvage a draw for Invicta with a fine goal 27 seconds from the end.

One of the best games of the day saw Penguin edge through 12-11 in men's Division 2 against Welsh Wanderers. The game could hardly have been more even (5-5 after two periods, 8-8 after three, then 9-9) before Penguin finally opened up a 12-9 lead with goals by Riccardo Spadafora (2) and Claudio Bagnali. Wanderers rallied again, Dan Laxton notching his sixth with 1.08 remaining and Charlie Hinder netting with 20 seconds to go.

Ryan Symington scored three for Sutton & Cheam, who allowed Croydon Amphibians to recover from 3-0 down to 6-5 before Sutton eased clear in the last three minutes to a 9-6 win. John Pratt was on target four times for Team Northumbria in a 12-8 defeat of Bristol while Watford held on for an 8-7 victory over Exeter, losing a comfortable 8-4 lead in the last period.

In men's Division 5, also at Ponds Forge, Mike Cousins (4) and Connor Keeble (4) led the Leeds scoring in a 14-9 victory over Watford Saxons. Newcomers Chelmsford went down 12-10 to Warwick, for whom John Dyer and Jack Crump shared the goals - six each!

Photo (Trevor Hyde): Michael Cousins scores a late goal for Leeds against Watford Saxons.

Shevonne Lowth's fourth goal grabbed Leeds Hammerheads a point in an 8-8 draw with Birmingham in women's Division 3 at Ponds Forge today.

Leeds held a 6-3 at the half way stage but Birmingham controlled the third period, drawing level with goals by Jessica Arthur (2) and Hannah Hinton. It was 7-6 to Leeds early in the fourth, but Birmingham hit back to 8-7 before Lowth's equaliser from a man-up. Jessica Arthur scored five for Birmingham.

Mid Sussex Marlins were too good for Liverpool Water Beatles, scoring nine without reply in the third and fourth quarters on the way to a 23-6 victory.

Picture (Trevor Hyde): Birmingham goalkeeper Louise Fuller is beaten by a Hammerheads shot.

Solihull made a confident start to the men's Division 1 campaign at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, today, beating Lancaster 11-8.

There was plenty of action in the opening period, both goalkeepers - Solihull's James Alton and Marc Robinson - making smart saves as Lancaster took a 5-3 lead. The second quarter proved decisive for the Midlanders as goals by Nick Beard, Peter Farkas, Pawal Wielgorski and Matt Kelly earned a 7-6 advantage - improved to 10-8 in the third.

An Alton save thwarted Lancaster when they earned a man-up opportunity midway through the final period. Almost immediately, Lancaster had a player excluded and Jordan Elliott ensured the points for Solihull with his fourth goal.  

Otter, Manchester Hawks and Cheltenham Spartans emerged from the first weekend of men's Division 4 action as the only teams with two wins.

​The Spartans and Tyldesley served up a cracking first match at the start of day two. Tyldesley, led by four-goal Addison Brown, squeezed ahead 8-7 at the halfway stage but Cheltenham were level at 10-10 towards the end of the third quarter. They then dominated the final stages, goals by Max Gerasimov (2), Solomon Robson and Tom Hunt clinching their second victory of the weekend at 14-11.

​Otter beat Rotherham Metro 11-7, profiting from four goals in the opening period by Nick Corjon.. James Moffat's five goals set up Manchester Hawks' 10-8 success against Hucknall.

​York trailed for much of their match against Invicta Marlins but hit back in the last three minutes to level at 8-8 through Chris Burns and Toby Clarkson before Matt Graves stole a winner - with just 53 seconds remaining.

​In women's Division 2 at Liverpool, Penguin Emperors beat Welsh Wanderers 10-6, taking charge with six goals in the second period. Susana Gomez (4) and Rebecca Thomas (3) led the Penguin scoring while five of the Welsh goals were claimed by Nia Saunders. 

​Penguin and Liverpool Liver Birds, who beat English Roses 11-6, were the only teams to win both their games. Tyldesley clearly have a talented player for the future - 14-year-old Kelsy Evans scored four  in a 13-7 defeat of Otter Lutra.

​Photo (Trevor Hyde): Addison Brown scores a penalty for Tyldesley against Cheltenham Spartans.

Hucknall opened the men's Division 4 campaign at Watford today with a 14-12 victory over York City. The game was decided in the third period when Dan Siddons' five goals took Hucknall from a slender 7-6 lead to 13-7 before York rallied again.

​Cheltenham Spartans raced into a 7-2 lead early in the second period against promoted Rotherham Metro and eventually won 11-8. Highlight of the match was a five-goal haul by 16-year-old Tom Hunt. Orion Ganase (4), Ivan Martinelli (3) and Nick Corjon (3) led the Otter scoring in a 17-10 defeat of Tyldesley. 

​In women's Division 2 at Liverpool, Penguin Emperors conceded two late goals but held on for an 11-10 win against Southampton. Amy Middlemast led the Penguin scoring with six. Molly Boniface-Ashton, a prolific scorer last season,  started her season by bagging eight in Liverpool Liver Birds' 16-7 defeat of Otter Lutra.

​Photo (Trevor Hyde): Dan Siddons (blue cap) in action against York City.

Worthing pulled off a dramatic 11-10 victory over Castleford in men's Division 3 at Haberdashers' School, recovering from 9-6 in arrears at the start of the final period.

​They squared the match at 10-10 with two minutes remaining. And it wasn't until nine seconds from the end of a frantic finale that a Castleford exclusion allowed Joao Martins to grab the winner - with just two seconds to go!

Martins finished with four goals while Luke Franks scored five for Castleford.

​Cambridge also left it late to complete their second win of the weekend - 11-9 against Birmingham. The Midlanders held a narrow lead for much of the first three periods - and were still 8-7 up at the start of the last. After that, it was all Cambridge, James Poole and Chris Scotney both netting twice as Birmingham's challenge faded.

Portobello were the only other side to win both their games. Hadrien Collineau scored five in a 13-6 defeat of Bridgefield. Four goals in the third quarter by Ciaran Mann (picture, Trevor Hyde) secured Southampton's 12-10 win against Ealing.

Stung by their first day defeat, champions Liverpool Lizards reasserted themselves at Newport today, crushing Coventry 24-7.

Milly Wordley, one of the youngest members of the team, led the way with seven goals. The other main scorers were Kathryn Fowler (5) and Katie Hesketh (4).

Otter eased to a second victory, defeating Caledonia 18-2. Seven of the goals went to Cecil Turner, with Katie Cutler adding four. Left-hander Hannah Edwards scored twice in the second quarter for Caledonia but the Scots rarely threatened in attack. Otter keeper Tracey Allen added to their frustrations by saving a penalty.

Lee Cadwallader scored a late man-up goal to earn Bridgefield a point in an exciting 12-12 draw with Ealing in men's Division 3 at the Haberdashers' pool today.

Bridgefield seemed to have the edge in the later stages as they went from 8-8 to 10-8, then 11-9. But this sparked an Ealing revival in the final quarter, goals by Rumen Kurtev, Sam Roberts and Sarpel Ustunel briefly earning an 12-11 advantage before the late Cadwallader strike.

Hamish Crichton was the star of Cambridge's 14-10 victory over Castleford, scoring seven times.

Three goals by Nigel Greenwood helped Birmingham wipe out a 6-4 half-time deficit against Worthing to clinch a 13-8 win. Southampton led Portobello 7-6 at one stage but the Scots dominated in the later stages to triumph 15-10. Luca Pollock scored three and there were two apiece for Hadrien Collineau, Neilson Rutherford, Ben Scott and Andrew Melville.

Otter pulled off a shock 9-7 victory over reigning champions Liverpool Lizards in this season's opening match of the women's Division 1 campaign at Newport today.

Liverpool had led 5-3 early in the third period and then 7-5 midway through the last. Cecily Turner's penalty with just over two minutes remaining cut the gap; and within another 30 seconds Holly Campbell equalised.

There were just 20 second left when Otter grabbed an 8-7 lead thanks to another Turner penalty. Campbell scored again just as the final hooter sounded.

Coventry were a mightily relieved team after snatching a late, late 9-8 victory over Caledonia.

Early in the third period, Coventry were making serene progress with an 8-2 lead. Then the girls from north of the border came storming back, levelling at 8-8 with two minutes remaining when Hannah Edwards bagged her third goal of the match. Then, disaster for the Scots - 19 seconds remained when one of their players was excluded and Sophie Linney claimed the Coventry winner.

Sheffield goalkeeper Tara Smith achieved the rare distinction of a clean sheet against Hucknall, who were beaten 12-0. The goal tally might have been even more but for some fine saves by Hucknall goalkeeper Naya Patel.

​Liverpool Lizards begin their pursuit of an unprecedented fourth consecutive British League women's title at Newport International Sports Village, Wales, today.

​They have a tough start - a clash with Otter, followed tomorrow by a game against City of Coventry.

​Men's fixtures also get under way this weekend, with teams in Division 3 meeting at the new Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School pool at Elstree, Hertfordshire.