M1 Host University Of Nottingham On Saturday Evening
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men are at home to the University of Nottingham in their final Men's Hockey League Premier Division match of 2023 on Saturday night (push back 6 pm).
The match will be available to watch via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here
Both teams go into the fixture with contrasting fortunes, Surbiton trailing leaders Old Georgians on goal difference, whilst the University of Nottingham have found their second season at top-flight level a tough experience, still looking for their first points of the season after nine successive defeats.
Nottingham lost 4-1 at home to Old Georgians on opening day before losing 5-0 at Hampstead & Westminster. The next two games were closer with a 2-1 loss at East Grinstead and a 3-2 home defeat to Reading.
Hopes of starting their recovery across the Nottingham Hockey Centre car park against Beeston were dashed as they went down 4-0, but they had another close encounter with Cardiff & Met, going down 4-3 on their home pitch.
Unfortunately, Nottingham's form has nose-dived over the last three games, losing 5-1 at Southgate before two chastening experiences at home, Holcombe winning 12-1 and Wimbledon winning 6-0 to leave the East Midlands university seven points adrift from potential safety.
Louis Tipper is the only Nottingham player to have scored more than once, with the other seven goals shared between Tim Ehret, Ed Brice, George Baugniet, Peter Caughey, Harry Stone, Luis Cuttle and Oliver King.
In contrast, Surbiton have been unable to stop scoring in recent games, starting with a 7-3 win at Southgate. Wimbledon proved a tougher nut to crack, going down 1-0 at Sugden Road, but a 6-0 home win at Oxted, followed by a 9-1 victory at Beeston and an 8-0 win at Cardiff & Met was crowned last weekend as Reading lost 9-0 as Surbiton extended their winning streak to six games.
Surbiton's Struan Walker is the team's leading goalscorer with 14 goals but Old Georgians' Sam Ward has been outstanding with 21 goals to lead the Premier Division. Penalty corner specialists Luke Taylor and Gareth Furlong have both scored nine goals to support Walker as Surbiton aim to maintain the pressure on Old Georgians at the top of the table.
Last season, Surbiton beat Nottingham 4-0 at Sugden Road in the clubs' only meeting.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Old Georgians have another Surrey derby as they visit Oxted. Third-placed Holcombe, three points behind the top two, are at home to Cardiff & Met whilst fourth-placed Wimbledon, a further three points behind, welcome Reading to South West London.
Hampstead & Westminster, level on points with Wimbledon, but trailing on goal difference, travel to Beeston. Southgate, currently sixth and holding on to a Top Six place with a three point advantage over Oxted, host East Grinstead.