Pivotal Weekend In Vitality Women’s Premier Divisions

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It’s first against second in the Vitality Women’s Premier Division ‘Top 6’ this weekend as the ferocious battles to be crowned national league champions continues.

The only unbeaten team in their division, Surbiton’s women are at home to East Grinstead on Saturday knowing they will pull four points clear of the West Sussex outfit with a win. Both Hampstead & Westminster and Wimbledon will aim to keep the pressure on the top two with victories of their own.

Premier Division – ‘Top 6’

Surbiton have emerged as the only team left unbeaten after the winter break in the Vitality Women’s Premier Division ‘Top 6’.

The leaders hold a one-point advantage over East Grinstead, with the two set to meet in an eagerly anticipated affair on Saturday and England women’s FIH Hockey Pro League stars set to return to the fray.

East Grinstead will also be returning to the ground where they played their first Premier Division match nearly seven years ago.

East Grinstead, who beat Surbiton at Sugden Road in October 2020, are firmly in the race for a top two finish and a coveted berth at the Euro Hockey League, but coach Mary Booth admits that there remains a long run-in, starting with a likely tight battle on Saturday.

Booth said: “It should be an exciting and competitive game. It may not be high scoring as we both defend well. They do have the defensive record and I suspect it will be nip and tuck.

“It’s always close between the two sides and I think it will come down to a mistake. It’s almost a six pointer between us but there is still a long way to go in the league.”

Beeston, unbeaten in two matches, face a home tie against Hampstead & Westminster – who were hit by injuries and Covid last weekend, including the dangerous Lauren Turner – as they aim to keep their form intact after holding Surbiton to a draw earlier this month.

Surbiton’s derby win last weekend kept Wimbledon in fourth place in the top flight, five points off the pace set by Brett Garrard’s side. The Londoners now head to Clifton Robinsons this weekend, the Bristol side without a win in six matches.

Surbiton v East Grinstead – 13:30
Beeston v Hampstead & Westminster – 14:00
Clifton Robinsons v Wimbledon – 14:00

Premier Division

In the bottom tier, Buckingham – who returned from EuroHockey Indoor action in Turkey earlier this week – are set for an away encounter against Holcombe. They’ll be buoyed by recent history against the side from Kent, having won their last two matches in the Medway.

Meanwhile, Swansea are at home to Loughborough Students. The structure of the league – with two sides facing relegation – means that every point matters for the four competing sides on Saturday.

Swansea v Loughborough Students – 12:00
Holcombe v Buckingham – 14:00

Division One North

University of Nottingham, who last dropped points in October, continue their promotion bid against Gloucester City on Saturday.

Hosts Gloucester have lost four of the last five and face a rampant Nottingham side featuring the goalscoring talents of Maddie Axford – who has netted in every game she’s played this season – and German international Nike Lorenz.

Former Premier Division sides Bowdon Hightown and Leicester City also meet this weekend, the former remaining just one point behind Nottingham with six match days remaining in the battle for promotion.

Both Belper and Olton & West Warwicks are still searching for their first league wins of the season as they take on Brooklands Poynton and University of Durham respectively, with Stourport hoping to return to winning ways against Ben Rhydding.

University of Durham v Olton & West Warwicks – 12:00
Gloucester City v University of Nottingham – 13:00
Ben Rhydding v Stourport – 13:30
Bowdon Hightown v Leicester City – 13:30
Belper v Brooklands Poynton – 14:00

Division One South

Susie Rowe will be eyeing her 10th goal in nine games this weekend when leaders Sevenoaks host Surbiton 2s.

The Kent outfit remain two points clear of promotion rivals Reading, who are on a winning run of five matches ahead of their encounter with Cambridge City, who haven’t secured three points since early October.

At the bottom, Trojans’ winning run was halted last time out and they now face third-placed Slough, the Berkshire outfit who are still in the chase for promotion.

Following on from two losses in a row, Canterbury will hope to return to winning ways against an in-form Wimbledon 2s and Harleston Magpies travel to Isca searching for a much-needed win in the battle to avoid relegation.

Isca v Harleston Magpies – 12:00
Cambridge City v Reading – 12:30
Slough v Trojans – 12:30
Wimbledon 2s v Canterbury – 14:00
Sevenoaks v Surbiton 2s – 17:00

Conference East

Barnes remain in control of Conference East ahead of their home clash against Hampstead & Westminster 2s.

Second-placed Southgate got back to winning ways last weekend courtesy of their 9-0 victory over Canterbury 2s and take their recent scoring prowess – 15 goals in three games since Christmas – to Bromley & Beckenham.

London Wayfarers had captain Nicki Mollison to thank for her seven goals in four games before two defeats in a row left their title bid stuttering. The Londoners host Ipswich, who remain third from bottom.

A win for Chelmsford will move them level on points with their opponents this weekend in Horsham as Canterbury 2s try to get their season back on track at home to East London.

Barnes v Hampstead & Westminster 2s – 12:00
Bromley & Beckenham v Southgate – 12:30
London Wayfarers v Ipswich – 12:30
Canterbury 2s v East London – 14:00
Chelmsford v Horsham – 17:00

Conference Midlands

Emma McCabe has scored in all but two of Sutton Coldfield’s 12 matches this season. And with 22 goals, she has also led her side’s searing charge towards promotion. Unbeaten Sutton Coldfield face fourth-place Beeston 2s, who are also on a roll in Conference Midlands after two wins and three draws in their last five matches.

Bottom side Khalsa Leamington’s pivotal win last weekend will hold them in good stead when they travel to second-placed Bedford on Saturday.

Cannock and Broxbourne clash in what could be a deciding fixture near the foot of the table while third-placed St Albans travel to Loughborough Students 2s and University of Birmingham 2s travel to Oxford University.

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

Conference North

Timperley’s hat-trick of recent defeats has left their promotion bid on the rocks ahead of their trip to Leeds on Saturday. Their 2-1 win over the current league leaders in October gives them some hope but Leeds have found their vigour since then, pulling five points clear at the top of the table.

Wakefield will be back in action after last week’s cancelled trip at Fylde. It’s also second against third as they are at home to University of Durham 2s.

Neston could make it four wins in a row if they win away to Didsbury Northern. They moved out of the relegation zone last week at the expense of Alderley Edge, who host Fylde, while Pendle Forest – currently bottom – face Doncaster.

Didsbury Northern v Neston – 12:00
Doncaster v Pendle Forest – 12:00
Alderley Edge v Fylde – 14:00
Leeds v Timperley – 14:00
Wakefield v University of Durham 2s – 15:30

Conference West

Leaders Witney’s three draws in their last five matches have given their Conference West rivals reason for optimism.

Exe look to be the biggest challenger to Witney – who host Cheltenham – on current form but, with none of the top five able to pick up three points last weekend, the Conference West remains tantalisingly tight at the top. They are at home against Clifton Robinsons 2s, who also play a rescheduled game against Basingstoke on Sunday.

The only team to lose amongst the top sides, third-placed Oxford Hawks host bottom side University of Bristol. Currently fourth and fifth in the table, victories for Bristol Firebrands and Team Bath Buccs over Penarth and Basingstoke respectively will keep them well in the title hunt.

Oxford Hawks v University of Bristol – 12:00
Witney v Cheltenham – 12:30
Bristol Firebrands v Penarth – 13:00
Exe v Clifton Robinsons 2s – 13:30
Basingstoke v Team Bath Buccs – 14:00
Clifton Robinsons 2s v Basingstoke – 11:00 (Sun 27 Feb)

With thanks to England Hockey