Buckingham’s play-off hopes face a big challenge on Saturday, as the Jaffa Super 6s indoor champions try to carry their great form into the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division.
Currently fourth, Buckingham could drop out of the play-off spots if they don’t win, but face Hampstead & Westminster who are second and have won nine of their first 12 games.
“Obviously the confidence gained from performing and succeeding in a high pressure environment and the positivity of winning the club’s first ever national title has been a massive boost and will hopefully spur the girls on to want more,” said Buckingham coach Zak Jones.
“I am and have always been a huge advocate and fan of indoor. It is fast paced and pressurised environment that requires accurate basics, good decision making, high level counter attacking and goal scoring skills, as well as detailed tactical understanding, all of which are relevant to the outdoor version. So I always view indoor as a positive and wish we could play a bit more!”
Buckingham will be without injured Welsh international Eloise Laity while former England and GB international Lucy Wood is still carrying a long term injury. But they have signed Welsh international Sophie Robinson from Beeston.
Leaders Surbiton resume the outdoor fixtures with a home game against Loughborough Students, while elsewhere Bowdon Hightown play host to Holcombe and Clifton Robinsons go to Beeston.
East Grinstead are taking part in the European Indoor Club Cup in the Hague this weekend.
Leicester City will be aiming to make it 11 wins from 12 games in Investec Division One North as they go to Gloucester City.
Second-placed Swansea have a home game against Olton & West Warwicks, while at the other end of the table bottom club Leeds go to Brooklands-Poynton in search of points.
In the Investec Division One South leaders Wimbledon will be expected to maintain their 100% record so far as they go to Isca, while second-placed Reading are also on the road with a match at Trojans.
Wimbledon’s second team are similarly top of the table in the Investec Conference East, and they will want to stay there with a win against Southgate. Meanwhile, Barnes lie second and head to Canterbury to take on their second team.
Pendle Forest’s promotion hopes face a tough challenge in the Investec Conference North, as they have an away match at unbeaten University of Nottingham.
Elsewhere second-placed Sutton Coldfield go to Fylde, and Timperley could climb up to second if they win at Alderley Edge and other results go in their favour.
Surbiton’s second team are top of the Investec Conference West, and will be looking to maintain their seven-point buffer with a win over visitors Oxford Hawks.
Second-placed Exe go to the University of Bristol, while Oxford University could move up to second if they win against Team Bath Buccaneers and Exe lose.
FIXTURES
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Sat, 15 February 2020):
Investec Premier Division
Surbiton v Loughborough Students 12:00
Hampstead & Westminster v Buckingham 13:30
Bowdon Hightown v Holcombe 13:45
Beeston v Clifton Robinsons 14:00
Investec Division One North
Brooklands-Poynton v Leeds 11:45
Swansea v Olton & West Warwicks 12:00
Univ of Durham v Stourport 12:00
Belper v Ben Rhydding 13:30
Gloucester City v Leicester City 14:00
Investec Division One South
Isca v Wimbledon 12:00
Sevenoaks v Slough 12:00
Trojans v Reading 12:00
Harleston Magpies v St Albans 13:30
Cambridge City v Canterbury 14:30
Investec Conference East
Canterbury 2XI v Barnes 12:00
Bedford v Bromley & Beckenham 13:30
Broxbourne v Ipswich 14:30
Wimbledon 2XI v Southgate 14:30
Chelmsford v Horsham 15:00
Investec Conference North
Doncaster v Beeston 2XI 12:00
Fylde v Sutton Coldfield 13:30
Alderley Edge v Timperley 14:00
Univ of Nottingham v Pendle Forest 14:00
Wakefield v Cannock 14:00
Investec Conference West
Oxford University v Team Bath Buccaneers 12:30
Univ of Bristol v Exe 13:15
Univ of Birmingham 2XI v Basingstoke 13:30
Clifton Robinsons 2XI v Cheltenham 14:00
Surbiton 2XI v Oxford Hawks 14:00
Courtesy of England Hockey
