Scotchies wave away Belmont challenge in top of the table battle

Season 11 premiers Shortland have continued their determined march back toward the top seed for the postseason, downing second placed Belmont in a fiery 9-5 battle at Oakdale Arena. Picture: Tiffany Thomson.

Sparks flew in one of the biggest matches of the Newcastle Dodgeball League's twelfth season thus far, as Shortland and Belmont locked horns for the top spot six weeks in to their campaigns.
The Beavers, who are currently looking to defend their first title in the competition, had tasted defeat just once in 2019 coming into the lofty clash, after being knocked over by Season 11 runners-up Hamilton in the third week.
The Scotchies have had a stronger start to S12, as they look to bounce back from disappointment in the postseason after finishing as first placed premiers with a 12-2 record last year. In the end, it was Shortland that kept their streak alive, pipping Belmont to the victory with a 9-5 win to make it six in a row.
It was a tight clash for both sides however, as two of the premier teams in the NDL left everything on the court. Tempers looked to turn from sparks to fire as the second half crept on, but Shortland were able to keep control of the match late to stretch a one-set margin halfway through the contest to the game-ending four sets, securing the three points for the league leaders.

Waratah has kept pace with Kotara and Belmont after a 10-5 win over Glendale on Thursday evening. Pictured is Cobras stalwart Jakub Lunarzewski, who had a flying game against the Ghostbusters. Picture: Tiffany Thomson.

Also on Thursday afternoon, Hamilton continued their climb up the ladder with a close 9-6 win over Bar Beach. The win doesn't move the Stags in the standings yet, but after a 1-3 start to the season the veteran team sit just two points adrift from the three-way tie for second place on the ladder.
Waratah and Kotara both drew level with Belmont after the champions' defeat at the hands of the Scotchies, with the Cobras downing Glendale 10-5, while the Kings notched the same scoreline against Raymond Terrace.
Interestingly, Waratah and Kotara are neck-and-neck in the race for the finals early on, and kept their exact record from Round 5 heading into the next week. With their five-set wins, both the Cobras and the Kings now sit at 4-2 in the standings, with both boasting a point difference of +14. The only thing separating the two teams thus far in 2019 has been the head-to-head record of the sides, after the 'Tahs defeated Kotara 7-5 in Round 4.

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STANDINGS: Shortland (18), Belmont, Waratah, Kotara (14), Hamilton (12), Bar Beach (10), Raymond Terrace (8), Glendale (6).