Division 2 roundup - weeks 16-19
Throughout the season there have been close matches, with teams taking points off each other, leading to changes in positions within the division. The top team averages just over 6 points a match and the bottom team just under 4 points. Only division 4 has been closer, although that division’s promotion race seems to be over, while division 2 still has 4 teams in contention for second place.
With just 2 matches to go, MK Powers have a 12-point lead in the division, so they only need 9 points from their final fixtures to secure the title. As their final matches are against the bottom clubs LB Van Hire and OU Shockwave, it seems highly unlikely that they can be stopped. The team has accumulated 26 points in their last 4 matches, with wins against WS Mosquitoes, LH Wooden Tops and Greenleys Valiants, the only hiccup being a 4-6 loss to second placed NP Lagondas.
The real battle in this division is for second place, currently held by NP Lagondas on 105 points, with both WS Mosquitoes and LH Wooden Tops not far adrift on 100 points. With 4-6 defeats to the two Greenleys teams, a 6-4 win against MK Powers and a big win against OU Shockwave, Lagondas has faltered slightly but still picked up 22 points in those matches. As Lagondas play their main two rivals for promotion in their final two matches, it’s fair to say that the outcome is in their own hands.
Third placed WS Mosquitoes have also had highs and lows in their 4 most recent matches. A resounding 1-9 defeat to leaders Powers, followed by a 4-6 loss to fellow promotion hopefuls Wooden Tops dropped them down the table, but wins by 9-1 against Van Hire and 6-4 against Greenleys Princes have brought them back into contention. Although level on points with Wooden Tops, Mosquitoes are ahead by virtue of having won more matches. Their final fixtures are against NP Lagondas and Greenleys Valiants, so good results could propel them into second place.
Little Horwood Wooden Tops are in 4th place, level on points with Mosquitoes. Aside from leaders Powers, they are the form team, with 25 points from their last 4 matches after big wins against Van Hire and Shockwave, an important 6-4 win against Mosquitoes and a 4-6 loss to Powers. With matches to come against Greenleys Princes and NP Lagondas, they are hoping that the other promotion contenders slip up. However, with fewer wins than both Lagondas and Mosquitoes, only victories may be enough as they would lose out on victory countback if teams finish level on points.
Greenleys Valiants are in 5th place on 97 points, with an outside chance of joining the promotion race if they do really well in their final matches, against OU Shockwave and WS Mosquitoes, and other results help them out. The team has gathered 22 points from their last 4 fixtures, including wins against OU Shockwave and NP Lagondas and defeats to Club mates Greenleys Princes and leaders MK Powers. With ever-present team captain Ricky Jackson having lost only once in the league since Christmas (plus 4 wins in 3 loan appearances in the Premier division), the team is led from the front.
6th placed Greenleys Princes have amassed a very healthy 93 points in a very tight division. They are used to close matches, having 6-4 scores in each of their last 4 matches, with wins against Lagondas and Valiants, but losing by the same score to OU Shockwave and Mosquitoes. 6-4 has been the outcome in 10 of their 19 matches to date, plus 2 draws, so a bit more firepower might have seen them in the promotion race. Their final matches are against Wooden Tops and LB Van Hire so even big wins are unlikely to move them much higher.
Leighton Buzzard Van Hire is in 7th place and faces a second successive relegation. Their last 4 fixtures have seen big defeats to WS Mosquitoes (while fielding two players from lower divisions) and Greenleys Valiants, a further defeat to LH Wooden Tops and a draw with bottom team OU Shockwave. Their final matches are against leaders MK Powers and Greenleys Princes.
Bottom team OU Shockwave has perhaps suffered the most this season from participation in a strong division and will be relegated to division 3, from which they were promoted last season. Despite having 3 players with averages between 55% and 47%, this has proved insufficient to keep them up. Although pushing opponents hard throughout the season, the team has been unable to turn enough close sets into wins. Their last 4 matches have seen 2-8 losses to promotion hopefuls Wooden Tops and Lagondas, a draw with LB Van Hire and a good 6-4 win against Greenleys Princes. With final matches against Greenleys Valiants and top side MK Powers, Shockwave will struggle to gain the 5 extra points they would need overtake their relegation rivals Van Hire to end in 7th place.
Player of 2025 (so far): Ricky Jackson of Greenleys Valiants 14/15 wins (12 in the last 4 matches).