M1 Home To Southgate On Saturday Evening
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men have a busy week ahead as they face two home London derbies before making the long trip to Bowdon next weekend.
Surbiton welcome Southgate to Sugden Road on Saturday night (push back 6 pm) before hosting Wimbledon in both teams' game in hand in the Men's Hockey League Premier Division on Thursday night.
Supporters unable to get to Sugden Road on Saturday night can follow the match via SHC TV on the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here
Southgate are in tenth place in the Premier Division having beaten Bowdon 4-3 at home and drawn at Beeston last Saturday after losing their first five games of the season.
Southgate lost 3-1 at home to Cardiff & Met; 8-1 at Old Georgians; 4-1 at home to Oxted; 4-2 at Wimbledon and 5-2 at home to Hampstead & Westminster.
Archie Foster has been Southgate's standout player so far this season, scoring seven of their thirteen goals. John Sterlini has found the net twice with Charles Hamilton, Aedan McCrossan, Karan Sofat and Daniel West each scoring once.
Southgate only returned to top-flight level last season after being relegated from the Premier Division in 2014-15. Surbiton were comfortable winners in both Premier Division meetings, winning 7-3 at Southgate and 4-0 at Sugden Road, but when the teams met at the League Finals Pool stage, Surbiton were held to a 2-2 draw at home before prevailing in the shootout.
Surbiton are averaging six goals per game, having scored 36 goals in their first six fixtures, including a 9-2 win at East Grinstead last Saturday.
Struan Walker is Surbiton's leading goalscorer with eleven goals with Luke Taylor on five and Jake Payton on four.
Surbiton trail leaders Old Georgians by five points with a game in hand as qualification for the Top Six and Bottom Six leagues in Phase 2 gets a stage nearer. Old Georgians have virtually qualified for the Top Six already having maximum points and an immense positive goal difference.
Old Georgians are at home to East Grinstead on Saturday evening, with Holcombe, currently level on points with Surbiton but having played a game more, welcome Richmond to Holcombe Park.
Hampstead & Westminster face Cardiff & Met; Wimbledon warm up for their visit to Surbiton by travelling to Beeston and Bowdon will be aiming to earn their first points of the season at Oxted.