Metro face relegation fight

DISAPPOINTED Rotherham Metro are out of contention for the British Championship after finishing the first phase of the championship in their worst position for years.

They needed three wins from the weekend’s final qualifying round, held at Cardiff International Pool, to stand a chance of making the top five cut with the leading teams then shooting it out for the title.

But Norman Leighton’s side could only claim two victories, leaving them in eighth place, and they now go into the bottom-end relegation fight.

Metro started the weekend with a 21-11 thumping of bottom side Sutton and Cheam, but they came a cropper next time out against fourth-placed Bristol.

Rotherham did sign off with a good win, beating struggling Kent Invicta 10-6.