M1 Host Beeston on Saturday

Surbiton Men play their first home Men’s Hockey League Premier Division game of the season when they welcome Beeston to Sugden Road on Saturday (push back 2 pm).

Surbiton started the season in stunning form, coming away from Sonning Lane with all three points after thrashing Reading 10-1 on Saturday night. Ben Boon and Luke Taylor notched hat-tricks with Rob Farrington scoring twice and Alan Forsyth and Arjan Drayton-Chana opening their scoring accounts for the season. 

Beeston were heading for a 3-2 home win over reigning champions Hampstead and Westminster with eight minutes remaining, but Matt Guise Brown and Hywel Jones scored twice in the last six minutes to give the visitors a 4-3 win. Guise Brown joined Boon and Taylor with an opening day hat-trick whilst Adam Dixon and a brace from Chris Proctor had put Beeston in prime position before Hampstead’s comeback.

Beeston mounted a comeback of their own in the corresponding fixture at Sugden Road last season to inflict Surbiton’s only regular season defeat with a similar 4-3 scoreline.  Surbiton led 3-1 thanks to Forsyth’s double and a goal from Willie Marshall, Richard Lawrence having scored for Beeston from the penalty spot.

However three goals in four minutes turned the match completely around, Henry Croft scoring with ten minutes remaining and Ben Albery, now with Old Georgians, levelled in the 63^rd minute before Nick Park scored the winning goal in the same minute.

In the first fixture at Nottingham Hockey Centre, it was Surbiton’s turn to come from behind, winning 5-3 after trailing 3-2 at half time. Robbie Gleeson gave Beeston a fifth minute lead, James Royce equalising for Surbiton. Elliot Hibell restored Beeston’s lead in the 19^th minute and although Forsyth made the score 2-2 in the 32^nd minute, Hibell converted his second penalty corner of the match at the end of the first half.

Forsyth levelled in the 37^th minute from a penalty corner before giving Surbiton the lead for the first time from the penalty spot with five minutes to play. With two minutes left, Boon sealed the victory under the Nottingham floodlights.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Hampstead have an intriguing home game against newly promoted Old Georgians, 5-1 winners over the University of Exeter last week. East Grinstead welcome Brooklands Manchester University to West Sussex with both teams looking for their first points of the season. Holcombe make the long trip to the University of Exeter and Reading will look to bounce back when they visit Wimbledon.