THE last league match of the season saw Cleobury Mortimer beat City of Salford 3-2 to upset the odds and claim a place in the play-offs for promotion to Division One of the National Ladies Volley-ball League.

Cleobury's victory at Salford was all the more remarkable given that they were missing two key players, while their hosts were already champions and were unbeaten all season.

The Mortimer ladies lost the first set, 25-15 Salford cruised to a 25-19 win in the second to give Cleobury a mountain to climb at 2-0 down.

But they pulled back to take the third set 25-19 and this seemed to affect the champions' confidence.

Salford still served for the match at 24-22, but Cleobury won the rally and up stepped captain Lyndsey Rankin to serve the set out, 26-24, and take the match into a last set decider.

Cleobury held on to record a remarkable win taking the final set 15-13 which gives them a third place finish. They will now have to travel to Dulwich Tuskers in London for the right to play in Division One next season.

Meanwhile, Cleobury's men's team moved to within one win of claiming the West Midlands League Division One title for the first time with two more victories.

They overcame a strong Tamworth side 3-2 before sweeping aside struggling AT7 3-0. If they can beat Tamworth in the away fixture early next month, then they will win the league.

Cleobury ladies reserves produced a solid performance, but lost 3-1 against rivals Telford in the West Midlands League Division One. They won the first set 25-22 but went on to lose the following three sets 25-19, 25-18 and 25-22.