M1 Visit Beeston On Sunday

Surbiton Men will aim to return to the top of the Men's Hockey League Premier Division when they visit Nottingham Hockey Centre on Sunday to take on Beeston (push back 2 pm).

Any Surbiton supporters who can't get to Nottingham for Sunday's game can watch the match streamed via Bee TV on You Tube.

Beeston will be charging £5 for entry to the game.

Surbiton dropped to second place in the Premier Division after Wimbledon won 4-2 at East Grinstead on Saturday night, but a win over Beeston would put Surbiton back on top of the table on goal difference.

Beeston are eighth, but only two points off the top six, having beaten Oxted 3-1 and drawn at home to Hampstead & Westminster and at Brooklands Manchester University, both games finishing 3-3.

Beeston started the season with a 4-0 loss at Old Georgians before Wimbledon won 3-2 at Nottingham Hockey Centre, with Beeston suffering a disappointing 3-2 loss at the University of Durham last week.

Kai Aichinger and Sam Apoola have both netted three goals with Henry Croft scoring twice. Ben Collinson, Gareth Griffiths, Eddie Harper and Josh Pavis have all scored once.

Surbiton have been in devastating form in recent weeks, beating the University of Exeter 7-0, winning 6-1 at East Grinstead and thrashing Brooklands Manchester University 9-1 at home in their last three matches.

Penalty corner specialist, Luke Taylor is now the Premier Division's leading goalscorer with 13 goals, four of which have come from the penalty spot.

Beeston v Surbiton has been an interesting fixture over the years and at Nottingham Hockey Centre, both teams have had a run of victories. Beeston were victorious in eight successive home games against Surbiton from 2006-07 to 2013-14 including 5-1 and 6-2 wins in 2010 and 7-2 in 2012.

Beeston's last home win over Surbiton was in October 2013, when Surbiton won 3-2, since when, Beeston have lost the last six. current Surbiton player, James Gall scoring for Beeston in a 4-2 defeat in Mar 2015, followed by 3-2, 4-1, 5-2, 5-3 and 7-1 wins for Surbiton in Nottingham.

The 7-1 win was in March 2020, when Taylor scored five of Surbiton's seven goals. 

Beeston last beat Surbiton 4-3 at Sugden Road in November 2018, and another current Surbiton player, Nick Park was one of Beeston's scorers.

The matches at Sugden Road have frequently been goal fests, with Surbiton winning 5-4 in 2017, 5-4 and 6-4 in 2011, 6-2 in 2010 and 6-4 in 2009.

In Saturday nght's other game, Holcombe won 7-2 at the University of Exeter.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Hampstead & Westminster host Old Georgians and Brooklands Manchester University, who have been without a match for the last two weeks due to a bye week and the postponement of last week's home game with Hampstead, visit Oxted.