There was a reduced programme in the latest round of Honiton Winter League Netball matches, writes Graham Ingram.

Four re-arranged matches were completed with two of the games, Uplowman versus SSW game and the JD Tyres against Hawks being ended prematurely at the third quarter mark due to torrential rain!

Three of the matches were in the top division and one of them carried real significance.

The meeting of Uplowman and Signs South West was one that both teams needed to win to avoid the drop!

They both started the game with 20 points and SSW knew a win would keep their survival hopes alive whilst Uplowman, with a game in hand, knew a win would guarantee their survival.

It was Uplowman who banked three points from a 28-14 win thanks to a fine performance from Mandy Norman in awful conditions. Jody Potter worked hard for SSW in the wind and rain, but the night belonged to Uplowman who now know they are safe.

In the other two games the top two sides took the points with Flamingos defeating Sidmouth Toucans by 44-9, thanks to a battling display from Jean turner with Lucy Davis turning in a fine show for Toucans.

OPG finished their campaign with a win over the improving Hi Q side by 37-22. Although OPG led from the start HI Q, with Jazmin Chester playing well never gave up and collected another point to finish comfortably in third place on 30 points.

Once again Carole Goddard turned in a fine OPG performance.

The only game in Division Two saw JD Tyres, needing a win to almost ensure promotion, up against an unpredictable Howden Hawks.

In awful conditions that saw the game abandoned at the three-quarter time mark (League rules allow a result to stand if this stage is reached).

The game started evenly with Hawks just edging 5-4 in front. With Tiffany Munt playing well, JD came back strongly to lead 12-6 at halfway and go further ahead to 17-7 to secure the points despite good work from Tara Andrews for Hawks.

With games still to play in the section JD look a safe bet for promotion, but both Otter Valley Dairy and Pixies have a theoretical chance of beating them to it – but they both need to win by a clear 26 gaols with JD losing by 25 goals and not collecting a point!

Results.

Division One: Flamingo 44, Sidmouth Toucans 9; OPG 37, Hi Q 22; Uplowman 28, Signs South West 14.

Division Two: JD Tyres 17, Howden Hawks 7.

Tables.

Division One.

P GD Pts

OPG 15 263 44

Flamingos 14 224 37

Hi Q 15 15 30

Uplowman 14 -4 23

Signs South West 15 -67 20

Sidmouth Toucans 15 -431 5

P GD Pts

Tip Top Trees 14 143 36

JD Tyres 14 73 32

Pixies 14 23 29

Otter Valley Dairy 14 21 29

Howden Hawks 14 -69 19

Blackdown Ladies 14 -196 7