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The National League’s Division Two programme due at Millfield School, Somerset, on 13 and 14 October has been transferred to Loughborough University.

This is due to the non-availability of the Millfield facility on both days. The schedule of matches also changes (to accommodate the six-games-per-day timing at Loughborough) and you will find full details by clicking on the Division Two fixtures page.

Clubs are also asked to note the following:
·        The Bristol v Cheltenham Division One game will still take place as scheduled at Millfield on Saturday, 13 October.
·        The end-of-season play-offs for Divisions 2/3 and 3/4 will be staged at Loughborough University on Sunday, 9 December, as part of the Division One programme on that day. These play-offs were originally scheduled for the weekend of 15/16 December.
·        The Division 1/2 play-off remains on the weekend of 15/16 December.
·        There are minor changes to previously published start times at Loughborough on 27 October (Div One) and 24 November (Div Two).

Meanwhile, Lancaster City begin the pursuit of a sixth consecutive National League title when they face 2006 runners-up Cheltenham in the opening match of the season at Ponds Forge, Sheffield, on 8/9 September.

As many as 26 of the National League’s 35 teams will be action that weekend, when the availability of two pitches makes it possible to complete a marathon programme of 31 matches in Divisions One, Two and Four.

A further “shared” weekend takes place at Sheffield on 29/30 September, when Divisions Two and Four compete.

When the Division Two programme begins at Lancaster on 15 September, promoted clubs City of Sheffield and Sutton & Cheam start against Tyldesley and Invicta respectively.

Division Three clubs head for the league’s only new venue – Marlborough College, Wiltshire – for matches on 20 and 21 October.

In Division Four, newcomers Weymouth and Portland (see below) enjoy their first taste of NWPL action against Croydon Amphibians at Ponds Forge. For full details of 2007 venues and matches, click on the divisional fixture pages.

The Weymouth and Portland application was approved by the league committee at its meeting on 21 February.

It means that the Dorset area will have National League representation for the first time. The other clubs in the division are Basingstoke Bluefins, City of Birmingham, City of Cambridge, Croydon Amphibians, Ealing, Newcastle and University of Bristol.

Meanwhile, Tom Curwen scored six times as National League champions Lancaster beat Rotherham 15-4 to retain the British Championship at Manchester Aquatics Centre. Cheltenham’s defeat of Portobello in the bronze medal match featured nine goals by the winners’ skipper, David Taylor.

UNLUCKY GB MISS OUT

Great Britain narrowly failed to make it to the finals of the European Youth Championship, finishing third in their group behind France and host nation Slovenia, who both qualified.

The GB lads were unfortunate in that their first two matches were against the eventual top two, going down 8-6 to France and then 10-7 to Slovenia.

The rest of the tournament proved a formality, GB beating Portugal 25-2, Belgium 11-4 and Austria 18-4.

France defeated Slovenia 13-9 to finish top of the table with a 100 per cent record. Elsewhere, Poland, Belarus, Montenegro, Turkey and Greece also qualified for the finals in Malta in September. But countries such as Russia and Germany missed out. GB squad:

Stephen Bayles (Sutton & Cheam), Alasdair Campbell (Dunfermline), Matthew Holland (Sutton), Thomas Kelly (Sheffield), Sean King (Invicta), Richard Lawlor (Manchester), William Middleton (Cheltenham), Brett Perkins (Manchester), Glen Robinson (Lancaster), Joshua Smith ( Sheffield), Jake Vincent (Solihull), Jack Waller (Invicta), James Wannop (Lancaster). Team manager: Helena Stocker. Head coach: Tim Dunsbee. Assistant coach: Martin Burke.