W1 Host Wimbledon On Saturday Night
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women host Wimbledon in a Women's Hockey League Premier Division local derby on Saturday night following the Euro Hockey League KO16 schedule. Push back at Sugden Road is at 8 pm.
EHL ticket holders are welcome to stay on and watch; for those planning to attend the women's league match only, access to the ground is from 7.15pm and entry is free.
The teams last met at Sugden Road in last year's League Finals semi-final in April when Surbiton won 2-0 thanks to goals from Alice Sharp and Martha Taylor. Taylor also scored in the regular season Premier Division in October, Leah Wilkinson the other scorer in another 2-0 home win.
Wimbledon failed to finish in the Top Six in the first half of the 2023-24 Premier Division season, but secured their League Finals place by finishing seventh overall.
Of four league meetings at Sugden Road, Surbiton have won twice, their other win coming in February 2023, Hannah French and Sophie Hamilton earning a 2-1 win, Flora Peel replying for Wimbledon.
The first two meetings in 2021-22 were both drawn 1-1.
Surbiton have visited Raynes Park High School twice, winning 1-0 in February 2022 courtesy of Steph Elliott's decisive strike, but lost in October 2022, Darcy Bourne scoring for Surbiton but Megan Crowson and Fiona Burnet inflicting what turned out to be Surbiton's only defeat of the season in a 20 game league programme.
Although both Surbiton and Wimbledon were members of the South Clubs Women's Hockey League at one time, they missed each other because when Surbiton were promoted from Division 2 in 2008-09, Wimbledon were relegated from Division 1.
This season, Surbiton have won both their league matches, 2-0 at Clifton Robinsons and 6-1 at home to the University of Nottingham. Wimbledon lost their opening match 2-1 at newly promoted Holcombe, Beth Bingham scoring for the visitors and then drew 1-1 at home to Loughborough Students last weekend, Phoebe Barnett their scorer.
Surbiton's Issy Yonge is joint top scorer with the University of Birmingham's Hannah Pearce on three goals. Yonge has scored the opening goal in the first two matches.
Elsewhere on Saturday, second placed Reading who trail Surbiton by a three goal difference visit the University of Birmingham who are fifth. East Grinstead are third having scored one less goal than Reading and travel to the University of Nottingham. Holcombe the fourth team to have maximum points after two matches, visit sixth placed Hampstead & Westminster.
Eleventh placed Clifton Robinsons entertain tenth placed Bowdon with both teams looking to score their first goal of the season and earn their first points. Sutton Coldfield, who are bottom on goal difference, also having failed to score in their two matches have a home Midlands derby with Loughborough Students.