Giselle Ansley hit a hat-trick as Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division leaders Surbiton defeated rivals Holcombe 4-1 on Saturday.
The sides drew 2-2 in the opening game of the season back in September at Holcombe, but the outcome was never in doubt this time around as Ansley scored two inside the first 11 minutes to give the hosts the lead.
Rebecca Middleton scored eight minutes after the break, and Ansley completed the hat-trick and took her season tally to eight with a minute left to play.
Ellie Watton scored her ninth of the campaign but that proved to be a consolation, as Surbiton move four points clear at the top of the table.
East Grinstead leap-frogged Holcombe into second in the table after a 4-2 win at Reading.
The visitors did not have it all their own way, as goals from Zoe Burrell and Jess Dean were cancelled out by Georgie Blackwood and Marianne Downer to send the sides into the break level.
However, Ruth Gordon and Takara Haines both scored in the second half to send East Grinstead second in the table and leave Reading rooted to the bottom of the table after registering just one point in 10 games.
Clifton Robinsons were back to winning ways after running out 6-0 winners at Canterbury.
Kate Holmes and Jess Bloom both scored two, with Eloise Laity and Claire Thomas also on the scoresheet to keep Clifton in fourth place.
Leicester registered their third away win of the campaign with a 3-0 triumph at Slough.
Rachel Mack scored after six minutes, with Madeleine Newlyn and Elizabeth Honarmand both converting penalty corners to give the visitors all three points.
The match between Bowdon Hightown and the University of Birmingham was postponed.
Investec Women’s Conference East
Wimbledon have taken top spot in the Investec Women’s Conference East after leap-frogging opponents Sevenoaks with a 2-0 win.
Nicola Lloyd and GB Olympic gold medallist Crista Cullen scored the vital goals either side of half time to give Wimbledon a three point lead in the table.
Harleston Magpies are up to third after an impressive 6-0 win over West Herts with Victoria Findlay and Maria Andrews both scoring twice.
St Albans came from behind to win 2-1 against Hampstead and Westminster after Amie Hone scored a second half double.
Rebecca Hayward also netted twice to help Cambridge City beat Southgate 4-2, and Chelmsford took a 2-0 win over bottom club Northampton Saints.
Investec Women’s Conference North
There were two postponements in the Investec Conference North, as the University of Durham’s visit to Liverpool Sefton was called off, and Brooklands Poynton saw their game against Sutton Coldfield postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Beeston took full advantage to overtake Brooklands Poynton and go top of the table after a 2-0 win over Loughborough Students. Sophie Robinson scored a goal in each half to lead them to victory.
Ben Rhydding moved to third place after a 4-2 win against Timperley, courtesy of goals from Michelle Morris, Kate Hesketh, Laura Smith and Beth Cordukes.
Wakefield won 2-0 at Belper, Georgia Byas scoring a brace to condemn the hosts to their tenth straight league defeat.
Investec Women’s Conference West
Buckingham moved top of the Investec Conference West for the first time this season after a 5-1 home win over Olton and West Warwicks.
Sally Walton’s ninth of the season had given the visitors a 25th minute lead, but Alex Naughalty and Phoebe Richards put Buckingham in front at the break.
Natasha James added a brace and Abbie Brant was also on target in the second half to move Buckingham ahead of Stourport in the table by a single goal.
The previous leaders left it late to beat bottom side Bristol Firebrands 2-1 to stay level on points at the top.
Lora Symonds’ 12th of the season had been cancelled out by Steph Kinder, but Sarah Parkinson-Mills claimed a dramatic last minute winner.
Sally Gibson hit a hat trick to help Trojans to a 5-3 victory at Exe, Oxford Hawks won 2-0 at home to Isca University, whilst Gloucester City and Swansea City finished all square.
* The lead photo shows Surbiton’s Giselle Ansley. Credit: Tim Reder.
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, November 26, 2016):
Premier Division: Canterbury 0, Clifton Robinsons 6; Reading 2, East Grinstead 4; Bowdon Hightown v University of Birmingham postponed; Slough 0, Leicester 3; Surbiton 4, Holcombe 1.
Conference East: Cambridge City 4, Southgate 2; Chelmsford 2, Northampton Saints 0; Harleston Magpies 6, West Herts 0; St. Albans 2, Hampstead and Westminster 1; Wimbledon 2, Sevenoaks 0.
Conference North: Beeston 2, Loughborough Students 0; Brooklands Poynton v Sutton Coldfield postponed; Liverpool Sefton v University of Durham postponed; Belper 0, Wakefield 2; Ben Rhydding 4, Timperley 2.
Conference West: Buckingham 5, Olton & West Warwicks 1; Exe 3, Trojans 5; Gloucester City 1, Swansea City 1; Oxford Hawks 2, Isca 0; Stourport 2, Bristol Firebrands 1.
| Women’s Premier Division |
| Reading | (2) | 2 | – | 4 | (2) | East Grinstead | ||||
| Georgie Blackwood 7 – F Marianne Downer 28 – PC |
Zoe Burrell 4 – F Jess Dean 21 – F Ruth Gordon 49 – F Takara Haines 58 – F |
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| Slough | (0) | 0 | – | 3 | (2) | Leicester | ||||
| Rachel Mack 6 – F Madeleine Newlyn 27 – PC Elizabeth Honarmand 70 – PC |
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| Canterbury | (0) | 0 | – | 6 | (2) | Clifton Robinsons | ||||
| Kate Holmes 20 55 – F F Eloise Laity 27 – F Jessica Bloom 38 51 – PC F Claire Thomas 47 – PC |
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| Bowdon Hightown | () | – | () | University of Birmingham | ||||||
| Surbiton | (2) | 4 | – | 1 | (1) | Holcombe | ||||
| Giselle Ansley 5 11 69 – PC PC PS Rebecca Middleton 43 – F |
Eleanor Watton 48 – PC | |||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Surbiton | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 7 | 19 | 26 |
| 2 | East Grinstead | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 22 |
| 3 | Holcombe | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 20 |
| 4 | Clifton Robinsons | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 14 | 12 | 18 |
| 5 | Leicester | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 14 |
| 6 | University of Birmingham | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 13 |
| 7 | Canterbury | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 24 | -10 | 11 |
| 8 | Slough | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 26 | -16 | 7 |
| 9 | Bowdon Hightown | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 21 | -9 | 6 |
| 10 | Reading | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 32 | -22 | 1 |
| Women’s Conference East |
| Harleston Magpies | (3) | 6 | – | 0 | (0) | West Herts | ||||
| Annie Nunn 21 – PC Victoria Findlay 27 54 – F F Maria Andrews 35 51 – F F Lucy Whiting 41 – F |
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| Wimbledon | (1) | 2 | – | 0 | (0) | Sevenoaks | ||||
| Nicola Lloyd 6 – F Crista Cullen 57 – PC |
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| St. Albans | (0) | 2 | – | 1 | (1) | Hampstead and Westminster | ||||
| Amie Hone 53 66 – PC PC | Kate Mccaw 29 – F | |||||||||
| Cambridge City | (2) | 4 | – | 2 | (2) | Southgate | ||||
| Rebecca Hayward 27 70 – F F Holly Parsons 31 – PC Tess Howard 66 – F |
Lucy Sheffield 5 – PC Frankie Cox 8 – F |
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| Chelmsford | (1) | 2 | – | 0 | (0) | Northampton Saints | ||||
| Kate Taylor 8 40 – F F | ||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Wimbledon | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 10 | 24 | 27 |
| 2 | Sevenoaks | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 8 | 24 | 24 |
| 3 | Harleston Magpies | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 15 | 14 | 20 |
| 4 | Hampstead and Westminster | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 19 |
| 5 | Cambridge City | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 14 |
| 6 | St. Albans | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 17 | 2 | 14 |
| 7 | Chelmsford | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 11 |
| 8 | Southgate | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 28 | -8 | 9 |
| 9 | West Herts | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 42 | -28 | 4 |
| 10 | Northampton Saints | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 45 | -37 | 1 |
| Women’s Conference North |
| Beeston | (1) | 2 | – | 0 | (0) | Loughborough Students | ||||
| Sophie Robinson 9 56 – F PC | ||||||||||
| Brooklands Poynton | () | – | () | Sutton Coldfield | ||||||
| Ben Rhydding | (2) | 4 | – | 2 | (1) | Timperley | ||||
| Michelle Morris 19 – F Kate Hesketh 26 – PC Laura Smith 45 – F Beth Cordukes 53 – F |
Kate Goalen 35 – PC Lexi Panteli 63 – PC |
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| Belper | (0) | 0 | – | 2 | (1) | Wakefield | ||||
| Georgia Byas 7 46 – F PS | ||||||||||
| Liverpool Sefton | () | – | () | University of Durham | ||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Beeston | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 7 | 17 | 25 |
| 2 | Brooklands Poynton | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 3 | 22 | 24 |
| 3 | Ben Rhydding | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 19 |
| 4 | University of Durham | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| 5 | Sutton Coldfield | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 13 |
| 6 | Loughborough Students | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 15 | -3 | 13 |
| 7 | Wakefield | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 13 |
| 8 | Liverpool Sefton | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 8 |
| 9 | Timperley | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 31 | -18 | 7 |
| 10 | Belper | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 29 | -23 | 0 |
| Women’s Conference West |
| Buckingham | (2) | 5 | – | 1 | (1) | Olton & West Warwicks | ||||
| Alexandra Naughalty 29 – PC Phoebe Richards 33 – F Natasha James 47 50 – F F Abbie Brant 54 – PS |
Sally Walton 25 – F | |||||||||
| Gloucester City | (1) | 1 | – | 1 | (0) | Swansea City | ||||
| Teri Brown 30 – F | Sophie Clayton 50 – PC | |||||||||
| Exe | (1) | 3 | – | 5 | (3) | Trojans | ||||
| Helen Bray 4 – PC Kelly Barrett 58 – PS Emily Mitchem 66 – F |
Charlotte Cox 5 – F Sally Gibson 11 35 70 – PC F F Wiz Mumby 55 – F |
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| Stourport | (1) | 2 | – | 1 | (0) | Bristol Firebrands | ||||
| Lora Symonds 18 – F Sarah Parkinson-Mills 70 – F |
Stephanie Kinder 58 – PC | |||||||||
| Oxford Hawks | (0) | 2 | – | 0 | (0) | Isca University | ||||
| Kathryn Poulter 51 – F Sophie Shakespeare 70 – F |
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| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Buckingham | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 7 | 27 | 25 |
| 2 | Stourport | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 10 | 26 | 25 |
| 3 | Olton & West Warwicks | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 21 |
| 4 | Trojans | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 22 | -4 | 18 |
| 5 | Swansea City | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 15 |
| 6 | Isca University | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 21 | -9 | 13 |
| 7 | Gloucester City | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 19 | -4 | 11 |
| 8 | Oxford Hawks | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 16 | -6 | 9 |
| 9 | Exe | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 31 | -19 | 4 |
| 10 | Bristol Firebrands | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 22 | -17 | 3 |
Report courtesy of England Hockey by Snowdon Sports.
