Premier
C&S Joinery A remain in top spot after they rightfully regained their position in first place as the playing field levelled. The only Premier team to date without conceding a match, they will be pleased with their performance as they enter the second half of the season. Just a win behind, SMP Ballasalla A are firmly rooted in second but will not give up their title hopes until the final game. They converted the most goals in a single game and also currently hold the highest goal difference in the division, which could prove important in the event of a tie. Missfits A are just a point behind in third. They are having an excellent season and despite losing to the two divisional leaders, they have shown consistency when it comes to high scoring games. Despite a modest start to their season, Toomraiders have soared to 4th place through recent success and shocked the netballing world with a win against second placed SMP Ballasalla A. They sneak ahead of Route 1 Connections with a mere 10 point goal difference advantage. Both teams will fight to maintain their position and with so little in it, we could see their positions fluctuate throughout the second half. Thompson A come in close 6th place. They started out well but as the season unfolded, the competition got stiffer. They have plenty of time to change their fortune in the second half but will have to watch out for SMP Ballasalla B who are hot on their heels with 17 points. The final three positions are very close as 7th placed SMP B sit only a point ahead of Magic Carpets, who in turn are just a point ahead of C&S Joinery B. These 3 teams have it all to play for as they battle it out to make sure they will not be relegated to Division 2. Magic Carpets have settled in well as the newcomers to the Division and look as though they have no intentions of going anywhere. Great effort everyone and good luck in the second half!
Division 1
PwC Manx Gems Rubies held on to their unbeaten run until last Sunday when PokerStars stole their thunder. Having come close twice previously, this defeat had been on the cards but 1st placed Rubies had managed to stave away their opposition in order to stay on top.
PokerStars are looking to be the real threat going forward as they have gone from strength to strength. Their second place in the league is due to a postponed match, which, if they convert the win, could see them overtake Rubies for pole position. Fencibles A are also very close in 3rd. A point behind PokerStars, they have demonstrated they can challenge the best as they narrowly missed out on the win against Rubies. C&S Joinery C are one ahead of PwC's sister team Emeralds. the two sit side by side in fourth and fifth place respectively. C&S C seem to be going from strength to strength and I expect their second half of the season may see them put in some great performances. Team DQ's mixed results have left them in 6th place but with a number of changes to their team, they've faired well. Anglo Manx will be disappointed with their current 7th place. Just 2 point behind the Hurricanes, they'll need to work on goal difference to strengthen their position. And finally Manx Glass Saints seem to be flailing a little in 8th but they remain ahead of Divisional newcomers, Fencibles B in 9th. Only half way through the season it is all to play. Good luck girls.
Division 2
Absolute Scaffolding Aces lead the way in Division 2. Their unbeaten league campaign has been a success and although they are a game behind other teams, despite sharing the same number of points as second placed Thompson B, their goal difference stands them in good stead should they need to rely on it. Their team has been plagued with injury, so they have done well to hang on to this advantage. Thompson B have gone down a storm and earned their second place in the league. They are proving a force to be reckoned with and hit the ground running as they came close to beating Division leaders Absolute aces in their debut match this season. Route 1 Sparks are also very strong. Again they have put in some impressive scores, the highest being 41 which has secured their 3rd place for the time being. SMP Ballasalla C looked like the team to beat in the early stages and they made a real impression but as the SMP teams juggled players, their lead waned. A few losses aside, they have come back with a vengeance, are regularly converting high scorelines and can boast the highest conversion in the Division of 61. The addition of premier player Ashley Hall will also mix things up a bit and will give the lower league a taste of the top.
Marbree Motors have had some great games but it seems primarily driven by a few key players, whose absence is a little much to bear at times, leaving them only as high as 5th place to date. Missfits B are just 2 points behind in 6th but having seen some of their recent shooting, they may not be there for long. C&S Joinery D occupy 7th. Only 3 wins to date, they did manage to nearly beat the division leaders but PwC Manx Gems Sapphires have worked hard to rebuild their team after a huge shake up. They're improving as the season moves forward but are struggling to convert a win. Their 8th place on the table puts them ahead of the two Thompson newcomers, C & D who sit side by side in 9th & 10th. Thompson C have also suffered with injury and the D team has had an influx of new players, many youngsters too. They should all be proud of their performance so far and look forward to the second half in 2013.
Results: Sunday 8th December
Premier: SMP Ballasalla A 57, Thompson A 17; C&S Joinery A 52, Toomraiders 26; Missfits A 45, C&S Joinery B 27; SMP Ballasalla B 40, Magic Carpets 29.
Division 1: Team DQ 31, Anglo Manx Electrical Services 18; PokerStars 26, PwC Manx Gems Rubies 22; Fencibles A 23, PwC Manx Gems Emeralds 22, C&S Joinery C 40, Fencibles B 0.
Division 2: Absolute Scaffolding Aces 44, Thompson C 9; Route 1 Sparks 29, Thompson D 21; Thompson B 39, PwC Manx Gems Sapphires 8; Marbree Motors 30, C&S Joinery D 25.
No League Matches this week but the mixed tournament will take place from 9am-12 noon at the National Spots Centre. The mixed tournament is always great fun as the boys get a bit excitable!
