Invicta maintained a 100 per cent record and opened up a five-point lead over their nearest rivals after another impressive string of performances in the latest Division Two weekend at Ponds Forge, Sheffield.

They swept aside City of Sheffield (15-3) and City of Leeds (18-6) but, before that, were involved in a superb match against Tyldesley, grabbing victory by 14-13 after the game had been tied at 12-12 in the final period. Bailey (5), Murphy (5) and King (4) shared the Invicta goals while Mike Cowburn scored six for Tyldesley.

Birkenhead left it late to rescue a point against Solihull. The Midlands side led 12-11 going into the last minute. Then Birkenhead called a time-out with 22 seconds remaining – and Morris claimed the equaliser nine seconds from the end. Freeman scored five for Solihull and Evans five for Birkenhead.

There was another cliffhanging finish between Leeds and Sutton & Cheam. Sutton were 5-4 up at the end of the third period, but goals by Marshall and Young turned the tables and gave Leeds a 6-5 victory – their first of the season.

Consolation for Sutton was an excellent 10-8 win against Birkenhead, who then edged out Hucknall 11-10.

Mike Cowburn destroyed Solihull almost single-handed – he claimed nine of his side’s goals in a 15-5 win.

Hucknall raced into a 6-0 lead against Leeds but eventually had to settle for a 13-10 win, with Dan Siddons and Cichi both scored five.