Having beaten last year’s finalists Canterbury last weekend, Clifton Robinson’s will be targeting another win as they head to newcomers Slough in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division on Saturday.
Their 3-0 win on the opening day gave them a great start, and comes after a summer of change with Clifton merging with Robinson’s Men’s Hockey Club after several seasons of close co-operation.
New faces at Clifton include Rio gold medallist Alex Danson and another ex-Reading player in goalkeeper Sarah Ellis, as well as a host of younger talent including England Under-18 star Elisha Evans. Conversely, Els Mansell has moved to Sweden.
“We will be on our guard a bit against Slough,” said Clifton Robinsons’ manager Alistair Kilfoil. “They had a good result last weekend against a Leicester side who played well in our pre-season match.
“We won’t have our full team available as the internationals (Danson and Jo Leigh) aren’t available until probably November, but we have good depth.”
Elsewhere, the University of Birmingham will want to remain top of the early table when they head to champions Surbiton, while Holcombe – who held Surbiton to a draw with a last-minute goal last weekend – go to Reading.
Canterbury and will be aiming to get back on track as they play host to East Grinstead.
Finally, Bowdon Hightown and Leicester will do battle at South Downs Road.
Sevenoaks will want to build on their big opening day 5-0 win last weekend as they go to Cambridge City in the Investec Conference East on Saturday. Meanwhile, Harleston Magpies – who also scored five last weekend – host Northampton Saints.
The Investec Conference North sees Brooklands Poynton go to Sutton Coldfield, while Ben Rhydding are also away, at Timperley in Cheshire. Beeston take on Belper on Friday evening under the lights at the Nottingham Hockey Centre.
Gloucester City and Stourport both recorded victories in the opening weekend, and they face each other in the Investec Conference West at Stourport on Saturday.
FIXTURES – Friday, September 23
Investec Conference North
Beeston v Belper 19:30
FIXTURES – Saturday, September 24
Investec Women’s Hockey League
Investec Premier Division
Slough v Clifton Robinsons 12:15
Bowdon Hightown v Leicester 13:45
Surbiton v Univ of Birmingham 15:30
Canterbury v East Grinstead 16:00
Reading v Holcombe 16:30
Investec Conference East
Cambridge City v Sevenoaks 12:30
St Albans v Southgate 13:00
Chelmsford v Hampstead and Westminster 14:00
Wimbledon v West Herts 14:00
Harleston Magpies v Northampton Saints 14:00
Investec Conference North
Univ of Durham v Liverpool Sefton 12:00
Loughborough Students v Wakefield 12:30
Sutton Coldfield v Brooklands Poynton 14:00
Timperley v Ben Rhydding 14:30
Investec Conference West
Buckingham v Isca 12:00
Exe v Olton and West Warwicks 13:00
Trojans v Oxford Hawks 14:00
Stourport v Gloucester City 14:30
Bristol Firebrands v Swansea City 14:30
*The photo above shows Jess Bloom celebrating Clifton Robinsons’ first goal against Canterbury last weekend.
Report courtesy of England Hockey via Snowdon Sports
