W2 Host Barnes In A Top Of The Table Clash Tonight
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women's Second Team take on second-placed Barnes in a Women's Hockey League Division One South top of the table clash at Sugden Road tonight (Wed) push back 8 pm.
The match was originally scheduled for 25 November, but the game was abandoned with the score at 0-0 due to the pitch becoming frozen when the temperature rapidly dipped after sunset.
Surbiton go into the match five points clear of Barnes with third placed Holcombe (where Surbiton 2s visit on Saturday) a further three points behind, all three teams having played nine of the scheduled ten fixtures. Holcombe make up their outstanding fixture on Sunday at home to Southgate.
Barnes have a phenomenal away record, having gone unbeaten from March 2019 when they lost 2-0 at Trojans until March 2023 when they lost 2-1 at Wimbledon 2s. Although their home record hasn't been as exemplary, Barnes won promotion from the Conference East in 2021-22, only losing 1-0 at home to Horsham and finished third in Division One South in 2022-23, when in addition to seeing their long away unbeaten ended at Wimbledon, they lost 6-1 at home to Isca & University of Exeter, who won promotion to the Premier Division.
Barnes themselves now have aspirations to play in the top flight and with second teams unable to win promotion from the second tier, the Dukes Meadows club is currently battling with Holcombe, who want to make an immediate return to the Premier Division after relegation last season.
Barnes have only tasted defeat once this season, going down 3-0 at home to Slough in October. They have already played league hockey in 2024, beating Wimbledon 2s 4-3 at home on 22 January to close to within five points of Surbiton and they will be hoping to end Surbiton's one hundred per cent record on Wednesday night.
Aleesa Ferguson is Barnes' top scorer with seven goals with Carolina Kappes on four. Maddie Pearce and Abby Gooderham have each scored three goals with Alice Huddlestone and Naomi Kelly both having found the net twice. Ellen Paterson, Isabella Da Rocha, Harriet Mitchell and Ariane de Beaufort have all scored once to help Barnes' promotion push.
Meanwhile Surbiton 2s are having a fantastic season, having last played in the league in December, coming away from Team Bath Buccaneers with a 4-2 win to complete their ninth victory in nine games. They are also having a good cup run in the Women's Tier 1 championships after a 4-2 home win over Conference East side, Guildford on 20 January.
Hannah Denison has led the way with eleven goals in Division One South, with Amie Hunt on five and Charlotte Calnan on four. Imogen Davies, Isabelle Yonge and Josie Roux have given excellent support contributing two goals each and Josie Hippe, Harriet Bisdee, Martha Le Huray and Philippa Stewart's single goals have been important in maintaining Surbiton's quest for the league title.
Surbiton 2s and Barnes are also destined to meet on the last day of the season on 23 March when the league title and promotion issues could well be at stake.