Premier League Women
Women’s Premier Division leaders Hampstead & Westminster travel to fourth-placed Loughborough Students in search of a fifth successive win. The stats suggest the goal count may be high, as Hampstead only conceded their first goal last weekend and it has been almost 200 minutes since Loughborough’s defense was breached.
Second-placed Surbiton travel to Bowdon, a team who have only beaten them once, in the 2012-13 season.
The University of Birmingham are unbeaten in third place and make the short trip to the University of Nottingham, who they met three times last season, drew twice and won once.
Nottingham are one of three teams without a point, another being Barnes, who host East Grinstead, their first ever league match, knowing that the visitor’s Biba Mills is on a good streak with five goals in the last two games.
There is another first league match at Maiden Castle, as Durham University welcomes Wimbledon.
The other team not yet off the ground is Clifton Robinsons, Reading travel along the M4 to meet them tomorrow. It’s Super Saturday in Clifton with a full program of club matches where the club will commemorate their photographer Peter Smith. There was sad news from the club this week with the passing of their former long-serving manager Alistair Kilfoil. Alistair was a popular figure in England Hockey League and Bristol hockey circles for a number of seasons. Their match tomorrow will be preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Alistair.
Open/First Division Men
Leaders Old Georgians return to Open/Mens Premier Division action after their fantastic performance in Euro Hockey League KO8 qualifying last weekend. They face Hampstead & Westminster, who won 8-0 at Beeston last weekend.
Second-placed Holcombe hosts Oxted, who won a shootout match in the final stages of the competition last season, eventually qualifying for the semi-finals of the competition in place of the Kent team.
Third-placed Surbiton has a 100% record after three games and no match last weekend. They welcome East Grinstead to Sugden Road. EG are unbeaten in three matches, but have not taken a point from Surbiton in fourteen meetings spanning ten seasons.
Surbiton’s scheduled match last weekend was against Wimbledon, who took part in Euro Hockey League action in Barcelona and this weekend they travel to Beeston, the only team without a win this season.
Reading also travel to Brooklands MU in search of a first win. Just like Southgate who plays for Cardiff & Met. The teams met three times last season, two wins for Southgate, one for the Welsh, but the away side won in each meeting.
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