W1 At Home To Sutton Coldfield On Saturday
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women play their final home Women's Hockey League Premier Division match of 2024 when they welcome Sutton Coldfield to Sugden Road on Saturday. Push back is at 1600.
Supporters unable to attend can watch the match via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here
Surbiton last met Sutton Coldfield in the Premier Division in 2013-14, since when Sutton played at Conference level until 2022-23 when they spent two seasons in Division One North before winning promotion last season.
Because of their geographical position, Sutton switched between the Conference North and Conference West frequently, and in their last three seasons in the Conference when it became the third tier of national league hockey, managed to play in Conference North, Conference West and the newly introduced Conference Midlands in succession.
Surbiton and Sutton met four times before the West Midlands club were relegated via the Promotion Tournament in 2013-14.
Surbiton won all four meetings: 3-2 in 2012-13 and 3-1 in 2013-14 at Wyndley Leisure Centre and 4-2 in 2012-13 and 3-2 in 2013-14 at Sugden Road.
Sutton's current top scorers, Emma McCabe and Vicky Woolford who have netted two goals each, were also causing Surbiton's defenders problems over ten years ago.
The teams also met in the Women's Cup, with Surbiton, whilst still in the Conference East, going to Bishop Vesey's Grammar School in 2010-11 for a memorable semi-final meeting and coming away with yet another 3-2 win before going down 4-1 to Bowdon Hightown in the cup final at Cannock.
Surbiton also reached the 2011-12 final as a Conference East team, losing 4-1 to the University of Birmingham again at Cannock, but ironically it was Sutton Coldfield who eventually knocked Surbiton out of the competition in 2012-13 in Round 2, winning 2-1 in golden goal extra time, Woolford scoring in the 79th minute.
Sutton have struggled in the Premier Division this season, their only point coming at home to Holcombe in a 1-1 draw. The season didn't get off to the best start when they lost 8-0 at the University of Birmingham followed by a 3-0 loss at home to East Grinstead.
Loughborough won 5-3 at Sutton, before Reading won 7-2 in Berkshire and the University of Nottingham were 6-1 victors away from home.
A 2-0 loss at Bowdon was followed by the home draw with Holcombe, but Sutton went on to lose 4-0 at home to Clifton Robinsons and were defeated 5-0 at Hampstead & Westminster last weekend.
Apart from McCabe and Woolford, Beth Peers, Laura Groves and Susan Wood have scored once this season where Sutton have only managed to score seven goals in their first nine games.
Nevertheless, Surbiton will not underestimate their opponents, even on the back of a 6-0 win at Bowdon last Saturday. It was the fourth time Surbiton have beaten Bowdon (Hightown) in the Premier Division with the three previous instances coming at home.
Liz Thompson became the eleventh Surbiton player to score in the league this season, converting from the penalty spot in Altrincham. Darcy Bourne has scored five goals this season with Ellie Mackenzie and Erica Sanders both on four. Issy Yonge and Jordan Homann are on three with Martha Taylor and Alice Wills on two. Sophie Hamilton, Meg Dowthwaite and Lottie Ross have also found the net once apiece in 2024-25 to help Surbiton book their place in the Top Six for Phase 2.
Surbiton are fourth, four points behind leaders Reading, who host third-placed East Grinstead on Saturday and then travel to second-placed Hampstead & Westminster in their final match of Phase 1. Hampstead have a three point advantage over Surbiton with East Grinstead one point ahead.
It's Hampstead's turn to visit Bowdon this weekend. Wimbledon go to the University of Nottingham; Clifton Robinsons host Holcombe and the University of Birmingham are at home to Loughborough Students.