NETBALL: Loughborough Lightning kicked off the new netball season with an 18-17 victory over last season’s champions London Pulse in the final of Saturday’s Super Cup tournament in Sheffield.

The Super Cup involves all eight English professional clubs in a round-robin series of shortened format games.

Loughborough saw off Leeds Rhinos 13-9 in their semi-final while London squeezed past the Cardiff Dragons 18-16.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Cillian Sheridan continued his impressive scoring record with the only goal of the game as Brechin beat Highland League table-toppers Brora Rangers 1-0 despite having Brad McKay sent off in the 21st minute.

Brora have a six-point lead over third-placed Brechin but have played three more games.

At the other end of the table bottom club Rothes remain six points adrift of safety after going down 4-0 at home to Nairn County.

BOXING: Leigh Wood comfortably beat Josh Warrington with a unanimous points decision in their non-title bout on Saturday night in Nottingham.

When the two former world champions first met in July 2003 Wood had stopped Warrington in the seventh round.

On the undercard, Briton Sandy Ryan became a two-weight world champion after edging to a points win over Mexico’s Karla Ramos Zamora to claim the vacant WBC light-welterweight belt.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Defending champions The New Saints took another huge step towards their 18th Cymru Premier title after edging out Caernarfon 2-1 to move 15 points clear of second-placed Connah’s Quay, who lost 1-0 at Barry Town.

Colwyn Bay beat Penybont 3-1, Cardiff Met drew 1-1 at Flint Town, rock-bottom Llanelli lost 1-0 at home to Haverfordwest and Bala slipped into deep relegation trouble with a 2-1 loss at Llansawel Briton Ferry.