MEN’S ICE HOCKEY: Otto Nieminen scored twice as Nottingham Panthers slammed Guildford 6-1 in front of a near sell-out home crowd on Wednesday night to rekindle their hopes of making the Elite League play-offs.

In the other midweek action net-minder Taran Kozun claimed a 29 shot shut-out as Coventry Blaze ended a four match losing run by edging out high-flying Cardiff 1-0. The Welshmen have already qualified for the end of season competition.

MEN’S RUGBY UNION: The top two clash in the Six Nations Under-20s tournament when England take on Ireland at the Rec in Bath tomorrow evening.

Both teams are undefeated with England only heading the table by virtue of an extra bonus point.

Ireland will be without first choice number eight Brian Gleeson again due to injury and have also replaced their entire front row from the team that thumped Wales 43-8 two weeks ago.

NETBALL: Tonight’s Super League action sees both remaining 100 per cent records on the line as second-placed Manchester travel to take on table-toppers Severn Stars at the University of Worcester.

Last year’s runners-up London are at Team Bath in tomorrow’s other fixture. The league’s bottom two, Leeds and Strathclyde, who are both yet to win, face each other on Saturday before champions Loughborough play Saracens on Sunday.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: David Nwaba top-scored with 19 points as the London Lions booked their spot in the EuroCup quarter-finals with a convincing 100-77 win over Turk Telecom Ankara on Wednesday night.

Spain’s Joventut Badalona won 88-79 at Ulm, Ukraine’s Slobozhanske crushed Aris Thessaloniki 95-67 and last year’s champions Gran Canaria crashed out of the competition after losing 80-78 at home to Besiktas.