VOLLEYBALL: ANOTHER successful weekend has guaranteed the Eels' National League team at least second place and with it a place in the promotion play-offs.

The team went into the weekend knowing that wins against third-placed Preston and fourth-placed Boathouse, of Dews-bury, would secure second spot in the league.

Against Boathouse the match started well with the Eels cruising to a 25-16 first set win.

In the second set a poor run of service early on saw them playing catch-up and Boathouse finished the stronger to take the set 25-23.

Buoyed by this Boathouse played their best volleyball of the match with Dave Langdale scoring freely to topple Eels 25-19.

In the fourth Eels consistently blocked their opponents' attacks to take the set 25-18.

In the deciding set the Eels continued to dominate, a 15-7 win giving the match to the Eels. Jamie Morecroft was Eels' MVP for the second successive game.

The match against Preston was a more straightforward affair as the Eels repeated their 3-0 victory from earlier in the season. After a comfortable 25-16 win in the first set the Eels took the second and third sets 25-21. University College of Chester student Sam Booth was the Eels' MVP.

Meanwhile, in the Merseyside League, the Eels Ladies continued their dominating form by sweeping aside the challenge of Chesterfield (Crosby) by 25-16, 25-18, 25-16 with Anne Davies and French duo Gaelle Barbotin and Nell Bosier hitting powerfully throughout.

Whitby completed a double against Warrington in Ladies Division Two to maintain their equal top spot.