Giselle Ansley scored twice to give Surbiton an important 2-0 home victory over rivals East Grinstead in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division.
As teams returned from the winter break Surbiton led the way by just a single point, but two penalty corners in a five-minute spell before the break were both converted by Ansley – who is now the league’s joint top scorer – gave the hosts the points.
Surbiton remain unbeaten in the league this season and now lead East Grinstead by four points with a game in hand.
Canterbury earned an impressive 1-1 draw at third placed Holcombe, in a low scoring week in the top flight.
Nic White scored a penalty stroke to open the scoring after the break for the hosts but Grace Balsdon was on target eight minutes from time to ensure the game finished level.
Fourth-placed Clifton Robinsons also had to settle for a point as they drew 1-1 at Bowdon Hightown.
Jess Bloom converted a penalty corner on 23 minutes for her seventh of the campaign but Emma McCabe hit back eight minutes later to earn a share of the spoils for Bowdon Hightown.
The University of Birmingham drew level on points with Bowdon Hightown after a 1-0 home victory over Slough, Anna Toman scoring the game’s only goal three minutes from time.
Reading’s search for a league victory goes on, as they went down 2-1 at Leicester.
Maddison Rosser gave them hope when she opened the scoring after nine minutes but two goals in a minute from Madeleine Newlyn and Elizabeth Honarmand secured the points for the hosts.
Investec Women’s Conference East
A hat-trick from GB Olympic ace Crista Cullen helped Wimbledon secure a 5-1 win at West Herts and preserve their lead in the Investec Women’s Conference East on Saturday.
She scored twice in the first half to help her side lead 2-1 at half time, before they eased to victory with her third goal and others from Rose Winter and Rosie Macpherson.
Sevenoaks are still three points behind Wimbledon after they beat Cambridge City 3-1, while Harleston Magpies stay third thanks to a 7-1 win over hosts Northampton Saints, with Lauren Mickleburgh and Abby Gooderham both scoring twice.
Elsewhere, Hampstead and Westminster were 3-0 winners over Chelmsford, while St Albans recorded a 2-0 win at Southgate.
Investec Women’s Conference North
Brooklands Poynton and Beeston pulled further clear of the pack in the Investec Women’s Conference North as both sides recorded comfortable victories.
Brooklands still lead the way by two points after a 5-0 home win over Belper, Helen Turner with a second half brace and Claire Wallace, Caroline Hulme and Annabelle Watton all on target.
Beeston won by the same margin away at Timperley, Sophie Robinson scored a first half double to take her tally for the season to 13 with Rosario Villagra, Paige Gillott and Alice Huddlestone all on target.
Ben Rhydding and Liverpool Sefton drew 1-1, whilst third place University of Durham were held to a goalless draw at home to Wakefield.
Bethan Merriman and Vicky Woolford scored one apiece as Sutton Coldfield edged out Loughborough Students 2-1.
Investec Women’s Conference West
Stourport replaced Buckingham at the top of the Investec Women’s Conference West on goal difference, as both sides registered away victories in their return to league action on Saturday.
Stourport ran out 6-1 winners at Trojans, Claire Pearson and Sarah Parkinson-Mills both netting twice, whilst conference leading scorer Lora Symonds scored her 13th of the season.
Buckingham won 3-0 at Isca with Natasha James scoring either side of half time and Alexandra Naughalty adding a third.
Olton and West Warwicks lost ground on the top two after they were held at home to Oxford Hawks. Sally Walton scored her tenth of the campaign for the hosts, before Lucy Stewart equalised in the second half.
Elsewhere, Exe are now bottom of the table after going down 2-0 at Swansea City, as Bristol Firebrands leapfrogged them with a 3-1 victory at Gloucester City.
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday, February 4, 2017):
Investec Women’s Premier Division: Bowdon 1, Clifton Robinsons 1; East Grinstead 0, Surbiton 2; Holcombe 1, Canterbury 1; Leicester 2, Reading 1; University of Birmingham 1, Slough 0.
Investec Women’s Conference East: Hampstead and Westminster 3, Chelmsford 0; Northampton Saints 1, Harleston Magpies 7; Sevenoaks 3, Cambridge City 1; Southgate 0, St. Albans 2; West Herts 1, Wimbledon 5.
Investec Women’s Conference North: Ben Rhydding 1, Liverpool Sefton 1; Brooklands Poynton 5, Belper 0; Sutton Coldfield 2, Loughborough Students 1; Timperley 0, Beeston 5; University of Durham 0, Wakefield 0.
Investec Women’s Conference West: Gloucester City 1, Bristol Firebrands 3; Isca 0, Buckingham 3; Olton & West Warwicks 1, Oxford Hawks 1; Swansea City 2, Exe 0; Trojans 1, Stourport 6.
Report courtesy of England Hockey by Snowdon Sports
| Women’s Premier Division |
| Holcombe | (0) | 1 | – | 1 | (0) | Canterbury | ||||
| Nicola White 47 – PS | Grace Balsdon 62 – PC | |||||||||
| East Grinstead | (0) | 0 | – | 2 | (2) | Surbiton | ||||
| Giselle Ansley 30 35 – PC PC | ||||||||||
| University of Birmingham | (0) | 1 | – | 0 | (0) | Slough | ||||
| Anna Toman 67 – F | ||||||||||
| Leicester | (2) | 2 | – | 1 | (1) | Reading | ||||
| Madeleine Newlyn 25 – PC Elizabeth Honarmand 26 – F |
Maddison Rosser 9 – F | |||||||||
| Bowdon Hightown | (1) | 1 | – | 1 | (1) | Clifton Robinsons | ||||
| Emma Mccabe 31 – F | Jessica Bloom 23 – PC | |||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Surbiton | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 7 | 21 | 29 |
| 2 | East Grinstead | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 25 |
| 3 | Holcombe | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 21 |
| 4 | Clifton Robinsons | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 19 |
| 5 | University of Birmingham | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 27 | 20 | 7 | 19 |
| 6 | Leicester | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 17 |
| 7 | Canterbury | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 25 | -10 | 12 |
| 8 | Bowdon Hightown | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 24 | -10 | 7 |
| 9 | Slough | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 29 | -18 | 7 |
| 10 | Reading | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 34 | -23 | 1 |
| Women’s Conference East |
| West Herts | (1) | 1 | – | 5 | (2) | Wimbledon | ||||
| Helen Humphrey 31 – PC | Crista Cullen 17 26 55 – PC PC PC Rose Winter 38 – F Rosie Macpherson 65 – PC |
|||||||||
| Hampstead and Westminster | (2) | 3 | – | 0 | (0) | Chelmsford | ||||
| Hayley Turner 14 – F Fleur Horner 26 – PC Kate Mccaw 43 – F |
||||||||||
| Southgate | (0) | 0 | – | 2 | (1) | St. Albans | ||||
| Adele Sammons 24 – F Amie Hone 46 – PC |
||||||||||
| Northampton Saints | (1) | 1 | – | 7 | (3) | Harleston Magpies | ||||
| Danielle Hagan 18 – PS | Lauren Mickleburgh 9 12 – F F Abby Gooderham 22 55 – PC PC Lauren Rowe 48 – F Victoria Findlay 58 – F Elizabeth Clymer 66 – F |
|||||||||
| Sevenoaks | (2) | 3 | – | 1 | (1) | Cambridge City | ||||
| Jess Denniff 7 – PC Renee Ojikutu 11 – F Lily Elliott 59 – PC |
Rebecca Hayward 5 – F | |||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Wimbledon | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 11 | 28 | 30 |
| 2 | Sevenoaks | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 9 | 26 | 27 |
| 3 | Harleston Magpies | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 16 | 20 | 23 |
| 4 | Hampstead and Westminster | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 15 | 14 | 22 |
| 5 | St. Albans | 11 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 17 |
| 6 | Cambridge City | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 14 |
| 7 | Chelmsford | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 23 | -8 | 11 |
| 8 | Southgate | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 30 | -10 | 9 |
| 9 | West Herts | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 47 | -32 | 4 |
| 10 | Northampton Saints | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 52 | -43 | 1 |
| Women’s Conference North |
| Brooklands Poynton | (2) | 5 | – | 0 | (0) | Belper | ||||
| Claire Wallace 12 – F Caroline Hulme 21 – F Helen Turner 49 65 – PC F Annabelle Watton 64 – F |
||||||||||
| Sutton Coldfield | (1) | 2 | – | 1 | (0) | Loughborough Students | ||||
| Bethan Merriman 24 – F Vicky Woolford 46 – PS |
Ellie Rayer 68 – F | |||||||||
| Ben Rhydding | (0) | 1 | – | 1 | (0) | Liverpool Sefton | ||||
| Jenny Wilson 49 – F | Jane Bazley-Harrison 61 – F | |||||||||
| University of Durham | (0) | 0 | – | 0 | (0) | Wakefield | ||||
| Timperley | (0) | 0 | – | 5 | (3) | Beeston | ||||
| Sophie Robinson 29 32 – F F Rosario Villagra 29 – F Paige Gillott 42 – PC Alice Huddlestone 66 – F |
||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Brooklands Poynton | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 6 | 28 | 30 |
| 2 | Beeston | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 7 | 22 | 28 |
| 3 | University of Durham | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
| 4 | Ben Rhydding | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 20 |
| 5 | Sutton Coldfield | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 16 |
| 6 | Wakefield | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 14 |
| 7 | Loughborough Students | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 13 |
| 8 | Liverpool Sefton | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 9 |
| 9 | Timperley | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 36 | -23 | 7 |
| 10 | Belper | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 34 | -28 | 0 |
| Women’s Conference West |
| Swansea City | (1) | 2 | – | 0 | (0) | Exe | ||||
| Sarah-Jayne Thorburn 22 – PC Abi Welsford 68 – F |
||||||||||
| Isca University | (0) | 0 | – | 3 | (1) | Buckingham | ||||
| Natasha James 35 48 – F F Alexandra Naughalty 61 – F |
||||||||||
| Olton & West Warwicks | (1) | 1 | – | 1 | (0) | Oxford Hawks | ||||
| Sally Walton 32 – PC | Lucy Stewart 56 – F | |||||||||
| Gloucester City | (1) | 1 | – | 3 | (2) | Bristol Firebrands | ||||
| Jessica Thomas 35 – F | Emily Dunne 11 – PC Stephanie Kinder 32 – PC Victoria Mccabe 63 – F |
|||||||||
| Trojans | (1) | 1 | – | 6 | (4) | Stourport | ||||
| Emma Teague 24 – PC | Lora Symonds 12 – F Claire Pearson 17 61 – F F Sarah Parkinson-Mills 20 27 – F F Heidi Devey 46 – F |
|||||||||
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Stourport | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 11 | 31 | 28 |
| 2 | Buckingham | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 7 | 30 | 28 |
| 3 | Olton & West Warwicks | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 20 | 4 | 22 |
| 4 | Swansea City | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 18 |
| 5 | Trojans | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 28 | -9 | 18 |
| 6 | Isca University | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 24 | -12 | 13 |
| 7 | Gloucester City | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 22 | -6 | 11 |
| 8 | Oxford Hawks | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 10 |
| 9 | Bristol Firebrands | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 23 | -15 | 6 |
| 10 | Exe | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 33 | -21 | 4 |
