Surbiton leapfrogged the University of Birmingham into first place in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division with a convincing 3-0 away win on Saturday.
The students had been looking to go five points clear of the visitors, but fell behind in the first half to a goal from Naomi Evans before Sarah Page and Jo Hunter completed the win for Surbiton, who move to the top of the league by a point.
Canterbury consolidated third place with a 1-0 win at Bowdon Hightown, a first half goal from Anna Kolarova helping to keep the pressure on the top two for Canterbury whilst Bowdon stay one off the bottom in ninth.
Buckingham are still bottom but registered their first victory of the season at Reading. Abby Grant and Kathryn Nicolson scored their goals in a 2-1 win, whilst Leicester registered a 3-1 win at Holcombe with goals from Sally Whyte, Katie Long and Rachel Mack.
Elsewhere, East Grinstead twice came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw at home to Clifton, Zoe Burrell and Lucy Bairner hitting back for the hosts after Nicky Moss and Clare Thomas had put Clifton in the ascendency.
Investec Women’s Conference North
Wakefield swept to a 4-1 win at Springfields to maintain a five-point lead at the top of the Investec Women’s Conference North.
A hat-trick from Rosie Tootell and a goal from Heather Stafford were enough for the league leaders after Leanne Sharples had scored to equalise midway through the first half.
Brooklands Poynton remained in touch with the top after goals from Annabelle Watton and Sarah Newman helped them to a 2-1 victory against the University of Durham, whilst at the other end Whitley Bay and Tynemouth went down 2-0 away at Belper to remain rooted to the bottom.
Beeston picked up a 3-1 win at home to Liverpool Sefton, and Ben Rhydding claimed a comfortable 3-1 win against Loughborough Students.
Investec Women’s Conference West
Sutton Coldfield remain a point clear at the top of the Investec Women’s Conference West after they racked up a comfortable 3-0 win at Bristol Firebrands.
Jen Parkinson-Mills, Vicky Woolford and Charlene Mason got the goals for Sutton Coldfield who sit a point clear of Stourport at the top.
The second-placed side weathered a second half comeback from Swansea City to claim a 2-1 win, early goals from Sarah Cavendish and Lora Symonds proving enough despite Katrin Budd’s late goal for the visitors.
Elsewhere Oxford Hawks played out a 2-2 draw with Olton and West Warwicks, Isca beat Trojans 3-0 and Gloucester City triumphed 3-0 away at the University of Bristol.
Investec Women’s Conference East
Slough saw their lead at the top of the Investec Women’s Conference East cut to eight points after they could only manage a 0-0 draw away at Harleston Magpies.
That result means that second-placed St Albans move two points closer to the league leaders thanks to Sarah Embrey’s winning goal away at bottom side Ipswich.
Elsewhere in the division Wimbledon claimed a 3-1 win at home to Chelmsford to leave them sixth, Sevenoaks ran out 3-1 winners over Maidenhead and Cambridge City were 3-1 winners at home to Hampstead and Westminster.
* The above photo shows Surbiton celebrating Naomi Evans’ opener.
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, February 6 2016):
Investec Women’s Premier Division: Bowdon 0, Canterbury 1; East Grinstead 2, Clifton 2; Holcombe 1, Leicester 3; Reading 1, Buckingham 2; University of Birmingham 0, Surbiton 3.
Investec Women’s Conference East: Cambridge City 3, Hampstead and Westminster 1; Harleston Magpies 0, Slough 0; Ipswich 0, St. Albans 1; Maidenhead 1, Sevenoaks 3; Wimbledon 3, Chelmsford 1.
Investec Women’s Conference North: Beeston 3, Liverpool Sefton 1; Belper 2, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth 0; Ben Rhydding 3, Loughborough Students 1; Brooklands Poynton 2, University of Durham 1; Springfields 1, Wakefield 4.
Investec Women’s Conference West: Bristol Firebrands 0, Sutton Coldfield 3; Isca 3, Trojans 0; Oxford Hawks 2, Olton & West Warwicks 2; Stourport 2, Swansea City 1; University of Bristol 0, Gloucester City 3.
| Women’s Premier Division |
| University of Birmingham | (0) | 0 | – | 3 | (1) | Surbiton | ||||
| Naomi Evans 22 – PC Sarah Page 63 – PC Jo Hunter 68 – F |
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| East Grinstead | (1) | 2 | – | 2 | (1) | Clifton | ||||
| Zoe Burrell 9 – F Lucy Bairner 56 – F |
Nicola Moss 8 – F Claire Thomas 38 – F |
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| Bowdon Hightown | (0) | 0 | – | 1 | (1) | Canterbury | ||||
| Anna Kolárová 16 – F | ||||||||||
| Holcombe | (0) | 1 | – | 3 | (1) | Leicester | ||||
| Steph Elliott 52 – PS | Sally Whyte 24 – F Katie Long 37 – PC Rachel Mack 41 – F |
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| Reading | (0) | 1 | – | 2 | (2) | Buckingham | ||||
| Georgie Blackwood 42 – PC | Abbie Brant 20 – F Katrina Nicholson 27 – F |
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Surbiton | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 8 | 32 | 30 |
| 2 | University of Birmingham | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 29 |
| 3 | Canterbury | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 9 | 23 | 27 |
| 4 | East Grinstead | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 19 | 6 | 18 |
| 5 | Clifton | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 28 | -5 | 17 |
| 6 | Holcombe | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 22 | -9 | 15 |
| 7 | Reading | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 31 | -13 | 11 |
| 8 | Leicester | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 29 | -16 | 10 |
| 9 | Bowdon Hightown | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 31 | -20 | 7 |
| 10 | Buckingham | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 27 | -15 | 5 |
| Women’s Conference East |
| Harleston Magpies | (0) | 0 | – | 0 | (0) | Slough | ||||
| Maidenhead | (1) | 1 | – | 3 | (3) | Sevenoaks | ||||
| Jane Smith 15 – F | Rebecca Ross 19 – PC Maddie Thompson 21 25 – F PC |
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| Cambridge City | (1) | 3 | – | 1 | (0) | Hampstead and Westminster | ||||
| Tess Howard 25 54 – F F Helen Grant 47 – F |
Alexandra Irwin 66 – F | |||||||||
| Wimbledon | (1) | 3 | – | 1 | (0) | Chelmsford | ||||
| Nicola Lloyd 30 – F Amy Tippen 62 68 – PC PC |
Hayley Heggie 57 – F | |||||||||
| Ipswich | (0) | 0 | – | 1 | (1) | St. Albans | ||||
| Sarah Embrey 9 – F | ||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Slough | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 7 | 31 | 29 |
| 2 | St. Albans | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 21 |
| 3 | Cambridge City | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 20 |
| 4 | Hampstead and Westminster | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 20 |
| 5 | Sevenoaks | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 19 |
| 6 | Wimbledon | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 17 |
| 7 | Harleston Magpies | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 15 |
| 8 | Chelmsford | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 31 | -16 | 12 |
| 9 | Maidenhead | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 38 | -20 | 7 |
| 10 | Ipswich | 12 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 30 | -21 | 2 |
| Women’s Conference North |
| Brooklands Poynton | (0) | 2 | – | 1 | (1) | University of Durham | ||||
| Annabelle Watton 51 – F Sarah Newman 68 – PC |
Anna Baker 21 – PC | |||||||||
| Belper | (1) | 2 | – | 0 | (0) | Whitley Bay and Tynemouth | ||||
| Louisa Boddy 9 – PC Elizabeth Lamb 45 – F |
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| Ben Rhydding | (3) | 3 | – | 1 | (0) | Loughborough Students | ||||
| Jo Ellis 3 – F Jenny Wilson 4 – F Sarah Whitehead 27 – F |
Madeleine Newlyn 70 – F | |||||||||
| Springfields | (1) | 1 | – | 4 | (3) | Wakefield | ||||
| Leanne Sharples 16 – F | Rosie Tootell 12 34 65 – PC PC PC Heather Stafford 29 – F |
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| Beeston | (1) | 3 | – | 1 | (1) | Liverpool Sefton | ||||
| Rosy Stephens 3 – F Madeleine Pearce 46 – F Tori Wensley 52 – F |
Natalie Hannah 8 – F | |||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Wakefield | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 15 | 14 | 28 |
| 2 | Brooklands Poynton | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 23 |
| 3 | Beeston | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 21 |
| 4 | Ben Rhydding | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 30 | 14 | 16 | 20 |
| 5 | University of Durham | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 24 | -2 | 19 |
| 6 | Loughborough Students | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 17 |
| 7 | Belper | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 19 | -5 | 14 |
| 8 | Liverpool Sefton | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 30 | -14 | 11 |
| 9 | Springfields | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 33 | -21 | 8 |
| 10 | Whitley Bay and Tynemouth | 12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 22 | -11 | 6 |
| Women’s Conference West |
| Bristol Firebrands | (0) | 0 | – | 3 | (1) | Sutton Coldfield | ||||
| Jennifer Parkinson-Mills 9 – PS Vicky Woolford 41 – PC Charlene Mason 68 – F |
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| Isca University | (2) | 3 | – | 0 | (0) | Trojans | ||||
| Elly Yard 16 – F Beth Marriott 35 – PC Olivia Hoskins 47 – F |
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| Oxford Hawks | (0) | 2 | – | 2 | (1) | Olton & West Warwicks | ||||
| Kate Lowe 41 – F Ella Cusack 46 – PC |
Mandy Gatherer 35 – PC Katie Brough 37 – F |
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| Stourport | (2) | 2 | – | 1 | (0) | Swansea City | ||||
| Sarah Cavendish 2 – PC Lora Symonds 7 – F |
Katrin Budd 57 – PC | |||||||||
| University of Bristol | (0) | 0 | – | 3 | (2) | Gloucester City | ||||
| Terri Brown 2 – F Zoe Burford 11 – F Jess Dean 51 – PC |
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Sutton Coldfield | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 51 | 9 | 42 | 30 |
| 2 | Stourport | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 29 |
| 3 | Swansea City | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 13 | 17 | 25 |
| 4 | Gloucester City | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 20 | 6 | 21 |
| 5 | Oxford Hawks | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 23 | 29 | -6 | 18 |
| 6 | Isca University | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 21 | 2 | 17 |
| 7 | Trojans | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 13 |
| 8 | Olton & West Warwicks | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 23 | -13 | 9 |
| 9 | Bristol Firebrands | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 36 | -19 | 7 |
| 10 | University of Bristol | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 48 | -39 | 3 |
FIXTURES – Saturday, February 13
Investec Women’s Hockey League
Investec Premier Division
Buckingham v Clifton 12:00
Holcombe v Reading 12:00
Bowdon Hightown v Univ of Birmingham 13:45
Leicester v East Grinstead 14:00
Canterbury v Surbiton 16:00
Investec Conference East
Sevenoaks v Cambridge City 12:00
St Albans v Slough 13:00
Hampstead and Westminster v Maidenhead 13:30
Wimbledon v Ipswich 14:00
Harleston Magpies v Chelmsford 14:00
Investec Conference North
Loughborough Students v Beeston 12:30
Whitley Bay and Tynemouth v Springfields 12:30
Univ of Durham v Ben Rhydding 12:00
Liverpool Sefton v Belper 12:30
Wakefield v Brooklands Poynton 13:30
Investec Conference West
Bristol Firebrands v Swansea City 12:00
Gloucester City v Sutton Coldfield 12:00
Trojans v Stourport 12:00
Olton and West Warwicks v Isca 12:00
University of Bristol v Oxford Hawks 13:00
League Finals weekend now on sale
The next big event in the club calendar is the League Finals Weekend on the 16th and 17th April – this year the Men’s and Investec Women’s Hockey Leagues Finals and playoffs are combined into one action-packed weekend at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre so drama is guaranteed!
League Finals Weekend tickets are on sale now here. Knockout Finals tickets will also go on sale soon on this page.
