L1/ M1 Double Header v East Grinstead on Sat.
By Colin Pike
Both Surbiton first teams are at home to East Grinstead on Saturday.
Surbiton Ladies play their Women's Hockey League Premier Division match at 4 pm, followed by Surbiton Men playing their Men's Hockey League match at 6 pm.
Please note that due to limited capacity only spectators who have pre-registered will be allowed to watch the games. As both matches have been fully booked, please do not come to the club to watch either match if you have not received a pre-registration email.
Surbiton Ladies are set to meet East Grinstead in a top of the table clash with East Grinstead currently on an eighteen game unbeaten run since they lost 2-1 at Sugden Road last season. Both teams are on seven points, having won two and drawn one of their first three games with East Grinstead having been held to a 1-1 draw at home by Buckingham last weekend.
East Grinstead had the best defensive record in the Premier Division last season and have only conceded twice this campaign, whilst Surbiton are yet to concede after beating Buckingham 3-0 at home and the University of Birmingham 3-0 away, either side of a goalless draw at Loughborough Students.
East Grinstead won 2-1 at Clifton Robinsons before their 3-0 home win over Beeston. East Grinstead are yet to win at Sugden Road in the Premier Division, but after last season's 6-1 win at Saint Hill, may well have the confidence to do so this season.
Loughborough Students, level with Surbiton and East Grinstead in third place, host Buckingham while Wimbledon have a London derby with Hampstead & Westminster; Clifton Robinsons travel to Swansea and the University of Birmingham take on Beeston. Holcombe have a bye week.
Then at 6 pm, East Grinstead's new coaching team of Tim Deakin and Dave Beckett bring their new charges to their former club as Surbiton Men aim to maintain their one hundred per cent record in the Premier Division.
An 8-1 win over Brooklands Manchester University; a 5-2 win at Beeston and last week's 6-1 victory at the University of Durham has seen Surbiton open up a two point lead over East Grinstead and Wimbledon.
East Grinstead won 2-1 at home to Oxted and 6-2 at the University of Exeter before dropping their first points of the season in a 2-2 draw at home to Brooklands. East Grinstead led 1-0 before Brooklands turned the match around to lead 2-1 and East Grinstead equalised with six minutes left.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Wimbledon also host Hampstead in Men's London derby but the game between Brooklands and Holcombe has been postponed as Holcombe have COViD-19 concerns and are unable to travel.
On Sunday, Beeston are at home to the University of Durham and Old Georgians welcome the University of Exeter to Surrey.