UK Student Archery Association

NEUAL give you 5 [12/Feb/18]

This editorial reviews NEUAL matches, E4 and W4 (from 28th Jan) as well as E5, W5 and N3 (from 3rd Feb). There were wins for Bradford and Central Lancashire, York, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Bradford v Hull E4 and UCLan v Chester W4 were both two-way matches, resulting in home wins for Bradford and UCLan. Bradford scored 2145 to beat Hull who managed 2021. UCLan beat Chester comfortably, two points short of 2100, whilst Chester - in NEUAL for the first time this season - scored 1485. Although Chester were a long way behing, their second NEUAL tally was an improvement of 200 points on their first. Matthew Gardiner (Bradford) scored 575 whilst in the other match Harlie Mason (UCLan) notched exactly 560. In the novice match Bradford battled past Hull, with Bradford on 1287 and Hull on 1214. UCLan scored 1256 in the other match but as Chester fielded no novices, they were unopposed.

One weekend later, York breezed past Leeds with 2147 to win by almost exactly 400. Liverpool got the better of Keele 2057 against 1997. The tightest (if lowest scoring) match was in teh North, where Newcastle finished a mere 3 points ahead of Teesside, 1933 to 1930. Newcastle were indebted to a 576 from Andy Johnstone, whilst David Shaw (York) also broke 570 on 573. Unusually the novice matches were won by 3 different clubs, with Leeds, Keele and Teesside all scoring in the 1200s. Keele's win over Liverpool was by far the closest with Keele coming out on top 1249 to 1237, a gap of only 12.

See the current NEUAL 2017/18 tables.

Skeleton results from SSS match 4 (27th Jan) and SEAL 3 (10th/11th Feb) have been published. NEUAL matches E6 and W6 were also on the weekend of 10th/11th Feb, with the final "Conference" matches, E7, W7 and N4 on weekend of 17th Feb.

With NEUAL's current structure it can be slightly difficult to tell who is really winning. York, Central Lancashire and Newcastle have all finished their Conference matches with 60/60, but the match aggregates suggest that if everything goes to form, Bradford are the most likely source of trouble in York's attempt to win NEUAL for a record fifth time - and the first time in 12 years.

In the novice table Keele have yet to drop a point, (having won the Novice Champs) but still have a match to go and only just squeezed past Liverpool - a result that could prove crucial. Liverpool are currently top and have dropped 3 points so far, as have Bradford.