It has been a stunning reversal of fortunes for a team that started the season in promising fashion, but has fallen steeply in the last couple of months.

Sue Monaghan has played consistently well and Lochie Donovan has shown vast improvement, but with Gavin Orr out injured and Ben Kimber struggling for his best form, results have been far from impressive.

This week it took on former competition cellar dweller Manchester United (which held bottom spot for 12 weeks) and as a result of the loss, with just two rounds remaining sits in prime position to collect this season's wooden spoon.

On court, Matt Monaghan and sub Steph Walker were in form for Man United while Liam Farrell faced a challenge from Aaron Dalziel who pushed Farrell all the way.

Both players amassed 40 points from two games, Dalziel falling short 21-22 in the second, one point shy of forcing the result to a third and deciding game.

The competition's powerhouse side Manchester City wasn't troubled in its comfortable defeat of Tottenham.

Man City collected four of the rubbers on offer with Marcelo Sanchez and Roxane Moos convincing winners.

The result could have gone either way in grades two and three, but David Coe again rose to the occasion to upset Carl Barry in a tight two-game clash, while Anna Sullivan had sub Aaron Dalziel's measure.

Tottenham captain David Kaczynski brought about his team's only win of the night, a comfortable one at the expense of Damien Dowling.

Arsenal produced another tidy result to shore up second spot on the ladder, finishing 12 points the better of a competitive Chelsea.

Ben Wallace, Daniel Gurney and sub Marcelo Sanchez were all on target, while for Chelsea, Jo Orr and sub Judy McNeight managed to grab wins.

In the final match up on Monday evening Liverpool upstaged West Ham 3-5-207 to 2-4-173.

In the only three game tussle of any court for the entire night, Ham's Jason Hosemans collected the rubber, but Pool's Sean Arnfield bettered his opponent in the points tally.

Giovanna Monaghan overcame a first game scare (22-20) from Sonja Wheaton to secure the result.

Results (May 12)

EVERTON 2-4-157 lost to MANCHESTER UNITED 3-6-163

J Orr (sub) 1-2-42 def C Monaghan (sub) 0-0-21; B Kimber 0-0-19 lost to M Monaghan 1-2-42; A Dalziel 0-0-40 lost to L Farrell 1-2-43; S Monaghan 1-2-42 def S Wheaton (sub) 0-0-15; L Donovan 0-0-14 lost to S Walker (sub) 1-2-42.

MANCHESTER CITY 4-8-183 def TOTTENHAM 1-2-159

D Dowling 0-0-14 lost to D Kaczynski 1-2-42; D Coe 1-2-43 def C Barry 0-0-39; A Sullivan 1-2-42 def A Dalziel (sub) 0-0-39; M Sanchez 1-2-42 def M Cahill 0-0-14; R Moos 1-2-42 def S Hateley 0-0-25.

ARSENAL 3-6-172 def CHELSEA 2-4-160

C Monaghan 0-0-21 lost to J Orr 1-2-42; B Wallace 1-2-42 def D Monaghan 0-0-35; T Smith 0-0-25 lost to J McNeight (sub) 1-2-42; M Sanchez (sub) 1-2-42 def D Moloney 0-0-21; D Gurney 1-2-42 def K McClintock 0-0-20.

WEST HAM 2-4-173 lost to LIVERPOOL 3-5-207

J Hosemans 1-2-55 def S Arnfield 0-1-56; D Monaghan (sub) 0-0-22 lost to D Moloney 1-2-42; T Smith (sub) 0-0-25 lost to J McNeight 1-2-42; G Monaghan 1-2-43 def S Wheaton (sub) 0-0-25; J Bassett 0-0-28 lost to S Walker (sub) 1-2-42.

Ladder (After round 12): Manchester City 57 (points), 112.67 (%); Arsenal 52, 109.58; Tottenham 41, 101.67; West Ham 40, 99.00; Chelsea 40, 97.02; Liverpool 38, 98.02; Manchester United 35, 93.08; Everton 33, 90.67.