Buckingham climbed to fourth in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division with a 2-1 win over Beeston, boosting their hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Hosts Beeston made them work for it and went ahead through Rosy Stephens’ 25th minute goal from open play.
Buckingham hit back after the break with Lottie Porter equalising from a penalty corner before Natasha James completed the comeback in the 59th minute.
With Clifton Robinsons losing to Slough, Buckingham leap-frog them into fourth place.
Surbiton moved to within a point of league leaders Holcombe with a 2-0 win over bottom of the table Canterbury.
After being held by Canterbury through the first half, Alice Sharp got Surbiton off the mark with a 40th minute field goal. The tie was eventually settled two minutes from time as Georgie Twigg scored via penalty corner, giving Surbiton a 2-0 win.
Bowdon Hightown did Surbiton a favour, battling to a 1-1 stalemate with leaders Holcombe.
Olivia Wilde opened the scoring, giving Holcombe a 19th minute lead but their hopes of three points were dashed as Megan Batchelor scored just four seconds from the final whistle for Bowdon Hightown.
Slough halted Clifton Robinsons progress with a shock 2-0 victory.
Clifton had been hoping to make it four wins since Christmas, but goals from Philipa Newton and Lizzy Totten dictated otherwise.
Sophie Bray was in fine form as she racked up a hat-trick of goals for East Grinstead in their 3-1 home win over University of Birmingham.
Amy Costello equalised for the University of Birmingham in the eighth minute but the hosts were too strong in the end. East Grinstead stay third, four points behind top of the table.
Investec Women’s Conference West
Isca boosted their hopes of a spot in Division One following next season’s league restructure when they beat leaders Stourport 2-0 in the Investec Conference West.
After a loss the previous weekend Stourport were looking to regain their balance, but two early goals from Isca’s Orla Cooke and Kim Sheldon compounded the home sides woes, lifting Isca to seventh in the table.
Gloucester City could have gone within three points of the leaders with a win but it wasn’t to be, falling 3-2 to fourth place Trojans.
Gloucester came from behind twice in the game but a third time proved too much after Heather Batten gave Trojans a third goal, and three points from a 63rd minute penalty corner.
Sally Walton was in her usual impressive form, finding the back of the net three times in Olton & West Warwickshire’s 6-1 win over bottom side Oxford Hawks.
Elsewhere, Swansea City thrashed hosts Exe 5-0 and Barnes battled to a 1-1 draw with Reading.
Investec Women’s Conference North
Loughborough Students maintained their six-point lead at the top of the Investec Women’s Conference North with a 2-1 over Belper.
Belper started brightly thanks to an 11th minute strike from Camilla Hall, but Loughborough turned the tide in the second half with goals from Alice Rolfe and Genevieve Hussell.
Second-placed Leicester extended the gap between them and Brooklands-Poynton in third with a win at Timperley, while Brooklands came unstuck at Sutton Coldfield.
Leicester’s Elizabeth Honarmand, Anna Elson and Rachel Mack all scored in their 3-1 victory over bottom side Timperley.
Brooklands-Poynton salvaged a point against Sutton Coldfield, who went 2-1 ahead thanks to a two goals in ten minutes from Emma McCabe before Libby Bird levelled the game with a 53rd minute penalty corner with the game ending 2-2.
In the remaining fixtures, Leeds triumphed over Fylde 3-1 as Ben Rhydding held University of Durham to a 1-1 draw.
Investec Women’s Conference East
Hampstead & Westminster held onto their two-point advantage at the top of the Investec Conference East with a 3-0 away win over Bedford.
Lauren Turner, Lucy Hyams and Melanie Wilkinson all scored for the league leaders who will be looking to confirm a place in next season’s Premier Division.
Second-placed Wimbledon stayed in the hunt for promotion with a 4-0 win at home to Horsham.
Eliza Brett scored twice in the victory along with goals from Fiona Semple and Fiona Burnet.
Harleston Magpies boosted their chances of a place in Division One following the 2019-20 league restructure.
A 4-2 win against Sevenoaks saw the sides swap places, Harleston rising to fourth level on points with Cambridge City in third, who themselves beat Ipswich 3-1.
In the Conference’s other match, St Albans stayed sixth with a 2-0 victory over Southgate.
RESULTS:
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, March 9 2019)
Investec Women’s Premier Division: Beeston 1, Buckingham 2; Bowdon 1, Holcombe 1; East Grinstead 3, University of Birmingham 1; Slough 2, Clifton Robinsons 0; Surbiton 2, Canterbury 0.
Investec Women’s Conference West: Barnes 1, Reading 1; Exe 0, Swansea City 5; Olton & West Warwicks 6, Oxford Hawks 1; Stourport 0, Isca 2; Trojans 3, Gloucester City 2.
Investec Women’s Conference North: Ben Rhydding 1, University of Durham 1; Leeds 3, Fylde 1; Loughborough Students 2, Belper 1; Sutton Coldfield 2, Brooklands-Poynton 2; Timperley 1, Leicester 3.
Investec Women’s Conference East: Bedford 0, Hampstead & Westminster 3; Harleston Magpies 4, Sevenoaks 2; Ipswich 1, Cambridge City 3; Southgate 0, St Albans 2; Wimbledon 4, Horsham 0.
Courtesy of England Hockey via Snowdon Sports