Solihull dropped their first point of the men's Division 1 campaign when they drew 10-10 with Bristol at Gloucester, but it's unlikely to prevent them qualifying for the Super 5s at the first attempt.

​Bristol held a narrow lead for much of the game and were 8-5 ahead at the end of the third period. Solihull equalised thanks to Nick Beard and then briefly led 10-9 through Matt Kelly before Bristol's Stuart Fennell levelled matters with a late strike.

​Division 1 matches have been staged in 25m pitches for the first time this season, leading to a flood of goals in some games. Cheltenham were actually 8-5 ahead after an all-action first quarter against Invicta before winning 21-11. Marc Tarres and Rob Parker both scored five.

Coventry, Liverpool Lizards, Manchester and Otter are already guaranteed places in the Super 5s after the latest round of women's Division 1 matches at Watford.

​The fifth place could well be between Leeds Sharks and Sheffield Sharks, who meet at Liverpool on 27 November - in the very last game of the divisional programme.

​Coventry were too strong after an even start for Hucknall, winning 12-7, including a six-goal haul for Fran Clayton. Otter's 12-9 defeat of Sheffield included four goals by Katherine Rogers (Picture: Trevor Hyde) and three from Emma Hamilton-Foster.  

Highly-competitive men's Division 2 produced its usual last quarter dramas, although not for Team Northumbria, who beat Worthing 12-4 to join Penguin on four wins at the top of the table.

​At Gloucester, Exeter, with Kameron Powell again in outstanding form, led Welsh Wanderers 13-10 midway through the final period but then allowed Wanderers right back into contention with goals by Adam Jerrett (2) and Joe Jenkins-Delf. Powell's fifth goal of the game made it 14-13 to Exeter, but the Welsh side claimed a share of the points at 14-14 when Dan Jones netted with 54 seconds remaining.

​At Watford, Sutton & Cheam were mightily relieved to escape with a 10-9 victory against Polytechnic. Sutton appeared to be cruising with a 10-3 lead, including a Ryan Symington hat-trick, at the start of the final period. Then it all fell apart as Poly stormed back with goals by Sergio Schiaffino (2), Chris Brown (2), Jeremy Johnson and Carlos Ardid.

​Penguin preserved their 100 per cent record against Croydon Amphibians - but only just. Croydon were 10-5 ahead midway through the third period before a spectacular Penguin onslaught produced seven goals without response and clinched a 12-10 victory.

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Solihull remain the only team with a 100 per cent record in men's Division 1 after beating Invicta 13-5 at the GL1 Pool, Gloucester, today.

​The game was closer in the early stages than the eventual score suggests. But from leading 6-5 at the start of the third period, Solihull raced clear, with Ryan Padbury and Arthur Davies both claiming a couple of goals.

Cheltenham improved their prospects of Super 5s qualification with a 19-11 win against Bristol. Later, Bristol scored seven in the first period on the way to a 20-13 defeat of Invicta.

Coventry fought back with great determination to grab a point against Otter in women's Division 1 at Watford today.

​The Midlanders led 3-2 after two periods, but there was no more scoring until the game really came to life in the last period. Goals by 17-year-old Danica Brazier (2) and Claudia Ferrone then put Otter 5-3 up before Coventry levelled it at 5-5 with goals a couple of minutes from the end by Sally Rangecroft and Fran Clayton.

Bernice Cowton's experience was a big factor in Sheffield Sharks' 19-10 victory over Hucknall - she scored seven.

Polytechnic made it three wins out of three in men's Division 2 at Watford today, easily overcoming Croydon Amphibians 20-6. Croydon trailed 8-4 after two periods but were overrun in the later stages.

Brian Hoy (4), Jeremy Johnson (3), Sergio Schiaffino (3) and Federico Carucci led the Poly scoring.

​Matches in this division are also being staged today at Gloucester, where Worthing picked up their first points by defeating Exeter 10-7.

Later, Team Northumbria extended their winning run with a 21-6 hammering of Exeter. And Penguin joined Team Northumbria at the top of the table, winning 13-10 in their derby against Polytechnic. Penguin's 7-2 lead midway through the second period disappeared as Poly fought back to 10-10 in the last period. Penguin regained control at the death with a man-up goal by Alexandru Trusico, a Dan Balanov goal and a further strike by Trusico in the last second.

Welsh Wanderers' Dan Laxton scored six in a 12-7 defeat of Worthing.

Former Great Britain coach Barry Merrick, who also coached the successful Leamington Spa team in the former men's National League, has died, aged 79.

​Barry lived and worked in Leamington all his life and played for Leamington with the likes of Roger Hargreaves, Keith Tallet, Bob and Paul Jelfs, Jim Shekhdar, David Hunt, Colin Commander and John Staniland.

​He took charge of GB in the early 1970s, travelling to Hungary to study coaching methods there. A strong GB squad, including players such as Martyn Thomas, Graham Bernard, Roddy Jones, skipper Terry Benstead, Andy Lench, Phil Howden and Jim Shekhdar, narrowly failed to qualify for the 1972 Olympics at a tournament in Munich, but went on to compete in the World Championships in Belgrade.

​By the mid-1970s, Barry had developed the Leamington team (which included a youthful David Edwards, still playing in BWPL for Cheltenham Spartans) into one of the strongest in the country. They won the ASA KO title in 1975 and the following year finished runners-up in the National League as well as competing in the LEN Trophy in Athens.

​The Leamington club eventually folded due to the closure of their home pool but Barry maintained an active interest in water polo, helping to coach at Warwick School and being instrumental in founding the Warwick club, who are new to BWPL this season.

Yet again, Caledonia men proved their resilience as comeback specialists with an 8-7 victory over Sheffield at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh, today - a result that, temporarily at least, puts them top of the table with an unbeaten record in Division 1.

The sides were locked at 5-5 after three periods, but Sheffield then went two up with goals by Koen van Zadeluoff and Alex Gaywood. Logan Shepherd and Alasdair Campbell levelled it again and the drama wasn't completed until 27 seconds from the end when a Sheffield player was excluded - and then immediately conceded a penalty, converted by Campbell.

Caledonia's girls claimed a welcome, first point in Division 1 in an exciting 10-10 draw with Leeds Sharks - but it could easily have been a win. After two periods Caledonia had a 5-2 advantage before Leeds edged their way back, eventually sneaking ahead for the first time at 8-7. The game progressed to 10-9 in Leeds' favour before Leeds had a player excluded and Laura Mathewson equalised in the final seconds. Nicola Tate scored five of the Caledonia goals.

Tyldesley lead men's Division 5 after the latest round of matches at Marlborough College. Photo (Trevor Hyde): Tyldesley's leading goalscorer Addison Brown in action at Marlborough.

Lancaster never fully recovered from a shaky start and went down 5-4 to Manchester in men's Division 1 at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Edinburgh, today.

Manchester dominated the opening period, racing into a 4-0 lead with goals by Charles Booth, Lewis Daly, Barry James and Joel Leighton. The advantage was 5-1 at the halfway stage, after which Lancaster slowly fought back, catching up to 5-4 at the start of the last quarter with a goal by Scott Sharpe.

They had a chance of an equaliser in the last few seconds, but were unable to convert a man-up opportunity.

Manchester women made it five wins out of five at the Royal Commonwealth pool, Edinburgh, today, beating Division 1 opponents Caledonia 8-6.

Liverpool Lizards led Leeds Sharks 7-5 at the end of the third period but then dominated the last to win 10-6 with goals by Sophie Gilbert, Kathryn Fowler and Laura Hesketh.