Source: SmifSports

Vitality Women’s Hockey League (19 February)

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Premier Division – ‘Top 6’

The storylines continue to bubble in the race for Europe and Wimbledon continue to be the form team in the Vitality Women’s Premier Division ‘Top 6′ after accruing their fifth win in succession last weekend against a depleted East Grinstead side.

The Londoners now face a derby clash against leaders Surbiton and could go top come Saturday tea-time if results fall their way.

Surbiton, back at the summit, and Wimbledon drew in the first half of the season, which also marked the clubs’ first encounter in league competition.

Clifton Robinsons and Beeston, the bottom two sides in the ‘Top 6’, kick off the weekend in Bristol, with both clubs having lost two of their last three.

Elsewhere, East Grinstead entertain a second London club in succession in the form of Hampstead & Westminster.

The West Sussex side’s failure to score in defeat to Wimbledon last weekend was the first time they had failed to do so in 35 matches.

Clifton Robinsons v Beeston – 14:00
Wimbledon v Surbiton – 15:00
East Grinstead v Hampstead & Westminster – 16:00

Premier Division

There’s only game in the bottom tier of the Premier Division as Holcombe host Loughborough Students.

The side from Kent have found form of late, securing two wins and a draw from their last four matches, while this will be a first game post-Christmas for the university-based side who currently sit one point and one place above them in the table.

Loughborough Students v Holcombe – 14:00

Division One North

The race for promotion between the university team aiming for the top flight for the first time and Premier Division old hands continues to be a tightly-run affair.

University of Nottingham retain a healthy goal difference should the league come down to that come April, while for now they hold a one-point lead over Bowdon Hightown. Nottingham face bottom side Belper at home, while Tina Cullen’s Bowdon face a tougher test when they travel to third-placed Stourport on Saturday.

Two of the bottom three sides face off this weekend as Olton & West Warwicks play host to Ben Rhydding, both aiming to bridge the gap to the teams above them as they look to avoid relegation.

Leicester City could make it five wins in six if they emerge victorious away to Brooklands Poynton while University of Durham travel to Gloucester City.

Brooklands Poynton v Leicester City – 11:45
Olton & West Warwicks v Ben Rhydding – 12:00
University of Nottingham v Belper – 12:00
Gloucester City v Durham University – 12:30
Stourport v Bowdon Hightown – 17:00

Division One South

Trojans’ bid for Division One South survival continues apace on Saturday with a visit to mid-table Surbiton 2s. The Hampshire side are gunning for their third straight victory and the chance to lift themselves off the bottom after a difficult first half of the season.

In addition, Harleston Magpies are at home to Cambridge City in another game that could prove crucial in the fight to stay in the league

At the top, leaders Sevenoaks host third-placed Slough, also looking for a hat-trick of victories, and Reading, in second, head to fourth-placed Canterbury.

The final games sees Wimbledon 2s make the journey down to Devon to face Isca, who are also in action the following day too as they then take on Slough.

Isca v Wimbledon 2s – 12:00
Harleston Magpies v Cambridge City – 13:30
Sevenoaks v Slough – 13:30
Surbiton 2s v Trojans – 13:30
Canterbury v Reading – 14:00
Isca v Slough – 13:00 (Sun 20 Feb)

Conference East

Barnes racked up their 10th win from 11 last weekend and head to Horsham in fine fettle with a seven-point lead at the top of the Conference East.

Chasers Southgate and London Wayfarers both lost ground with defeats last time out, with Hampstead & Westminster 2s closing the gap in fourth.

Wayfarers face a trip to second from bottom Bromley & Beckenham, while Southgate host out-of-form Canterbury 2s and Hampstead are at home to Ipswich. The early game pits East London against Chelmsford.

East London v Chelmsford – 11:30
Bromley & Beckenham v London Wayfarers – 12:30
Horsham v Barnes – 13:30
Southgate v Canterbury 2s – 14:00
Hampstead & Westminster 2s v Ipswich – TBC

Conference Midlands

Sutton Coldfield hold a six-point lead at the summit of Conference Midlands thanks to their unbeaten form. They face an away trip to Broxbourne, who have one point from three, while Bedford – who slipped up last weekend in their pursuit of Sutton – travel to Beeston 2s.

St Albans need to retain momentum to keep their hopes of promotion alive with maximum points against Cannock, who are aiming to stem a run of four straight losses.

University of Birmingham 2s will draw level on points with Loughborough Students 2s if they beat them on Saturday as Khalsa Leamington aim to stop a run of losses against Oxford University.

Khalsa Leamington v Oxford University – 12:00
University of Birmingham 2s v Loughborough Students 2s – 12:30
St Albans v Cannock – 13:00
Broxbourne v Sutton Coldfield – 13:30
Beeston 2s v Bedford – 14:00

Conference North

Leeds maintain a stranglehold at the Conference North helm, but will a challenger emerge who can hold an unbeaten run and test the Yorkshire side?

Second-placed Wakefield will look to keep the pressure on and secure welcome back-to-back victories when they face Fylde, while the leaders head to University of Durham 2s, who are also well-placed in third.

Neston’s recent victories have left relegation also hard to predict. They head to Doncaster, while a key battle will ensue between Alderley Edge and Pendle Forest. In the other game, fourth-placed Timperley play host to Didsbury Northern.

Pendle Forest v Alderley Edge – 11:30
University of Durham 2s v Leeds – 12:00
Fylde v Wakefield – 13:30
Neston v Doncaster – 13:30
Timperley v Didsbury Northern – 16:15

Conference West

Witney, who face Team Bath Buccs, hold a one-point lead over county rivals Oxford Hawks ahead of this weekend’s crunch game.

The Hawks travel to Exe on Saturday, while third-placed Bristol Firebrands, the only team to lose last weekend in the top seven, host Basingstoke.

University of Bristol, still looking for their first point of the season, are on the road to Cheltenham while second-bottom Clifton Robinsons 2s could halve the gap to Penarth by beating them.

Bristol Firebrands v Basingstoke – 12:00
Penarth v Clifton Robinsons 2s – 12:30
Team Bath Buccs v Witney – 12:30
Exe v Oxford Hawks – 13:00
Cheltenham v University of Bristol – 14:00

With thanks to England Hockey