Leaders Holcombe face a tough clash with fellow unbeaten outfit East Grinstead in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division on Saturday.
Having won three of their first four matches, Holcombe are a point clear at the top of the early table, but with four other teams within one victory of overtaking them they will be fighting for every point.
A late goal three minutes from time gave East Grinstead a draw at last season’s champions Surbiton last weekend, and they will be aiming to continue that form at Holcombe.
“We had a difficult battle against Surbiton last week, and we expect another pretty tough game this week,” said Tony Crisp, Team Manager at East Grinstead who are missing Olympic gold medal-winning star Laura Unsworth.
“But Holcombe will no doubt be without a few of their top names, and we’re going there full of optimism and anticipation. We’re still fairly inexperienced at this level, but we bolstered our team with one or two new names over the summer and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Surbiton are the other unbeaten side in the Premier Division so far this season, and they could go top of the table as they head to Canterbury, while Clifton Robinsons face a tough challenge as the University of Birmingham come to Bristol.
In the day’s other top flight action the bottom four teams face each other looking to get important points on the board. Reading, at the foot of the table host 7th placed Leicester and Bowdon Hightown in 8th are at home to Slough in 9th.
The two remaining unbeaten sides in the Investec Conference North, the University of Durham and Beeston are preparing to face each other on Saturday at the Nottingham Hockey Centre. Meanwhile, third-placed Brooklands Poynton make the short trip to Timperley as they bid to keep pace with the top two.
Similarly, Trojans and Stourport will play each other in the Investec Conference West on Saturday with both wanting to preserve their unbeaten runs. Elsewhere, leaders Olton and West Warwicks travel to Isca.
Investec Conference East leaders Sevenoaks travel Chelmsford in search of a fifth-straight victory, while Wimbledon – who climbed to second after last weekend’s win over Chelmsford – are at home against Cambridge City.
* The photo above shows East Grinstead’s Pippa Chapman.
FIXTURES – Saturday, October 15
Investec Women’s Hockey League
Investec Premier Division
Clifton Robinsons v University of Birmingham 13:00
Reading v Leicester 13:30
Bowdon Hightown v Slough 13:45
Canterbury v Surbiton 14:00
Holcombe v East Grinstead 16:00
Investec Conference East
West Herts v St Albans 13:30
Wimbledon v Cambridge City 14:00
Harleston Magpies v Southgate 14:00
Chelmsford v Sevenoaks 14:00
Northampton Saints v Hampstead and Westminster 14:15
Investec Conference North
University of Durham v Beeston 12:00
Liverpool Sefton v Loughborough Students 12:30
Timperley v Brooklands Poynton 12:40
Wakefield v Belper 13:30
Sutton Coldfield v Ben Rhydding 14:00
Investec Conference West
Swansea City v Gloucester City 12:00
Isca v Olton and West Warwicks 12:00
Oxford Hawks v Bristol Firebrands 12:00
Buckingham v Exe 12:00
Stourport v Trojans 14:30
Report courtesy of England Hockey via Snowdon Sports
