M1 At Home To Oxted On Saturday Evening
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men can book their place at the Men's Hockey League Premier Division Finals Weekend with a home victory over Oxted at Sugden Road on Saturday evening (1800).
With Oxted having gained a surprise 3-2 shootout victory after a 2-2 draw at Holcombe and Beeston having lost 3-0 at Surbiton last weekend, six points would ensure a top two finish in Pool B as Oxted would remain on two points. Holcombe have one point and Beeston are on zero and as the teams meet in Kent, only the winning team could still be in an position to catch Surbiton after the second round of matches.
Supporters unable to attend Sugden Road can watch the match v Oxted via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here.
Oxted won the shootout at Holcombe in sudden death, Michael Royden-Turner scoring for the second time after the shootout stood at 2-2 after five attempts apiece, Chris Porter also having scored for the Surrey club.
Oxted's achievement was even more remarkable as the week before, Holcombe had won 5-0 at Caterham School, having also won 7-2 at home in November.
Surbiton are still awaiting their first visit to Caterham School after Oxted switched their home venue from Oxted School and therefore, Oxted make the cross-Surrey trek for the third time this season.
On the opening day of the season, Surbiton won 4-2, Luke Taylor, Stuart Rushmere, Ben Park and Struan Walker earning their first win of the season after Jamie Batten gave Oxted a lead in the first quarter. Owen Williamson scored a consolation goal for the visitors with two minutes to play.
Oxted were last at Sugden Road on 8 March, when they lost out 5-3 in an entertaining encounter. Jake Payton scored in the first minute, with Rushmere adding the hosts' second in the 16th minute. Oliver Bennett pulled a goal back in the 22nd minute before Surbiton pulled away to lead 5-2 with two minutes left, thanks to Walker; Rushmere's second goal of the match and a late goal from Jake Smith.
Oxted didn't give up and Royden-Turner netted in the penultimate minute to make the final score 5-3.
Owen Williamson is Oxted's top scorer with 8 goals, followed by Bennett and Peter Jarvis on 5. Charlie Axford, Guy Morgan and Royden-Turner are all on 4, with Porter on 3.
Batten and Lucas Ward have each scored twice with Thomas Finnegan, Josiah Wood and Isaac Dale scoring once apiece.
Surbiton's 3-0 win over Beeston was James Mazarelo's fourth clean sheet of the season and also saw Walker return to the Surbiton line-up after missing the previous three matches. Walker is Surbiton's top scorer with 20 goals, with Jake Smith on 9. Penalty corner specialists, Luke Taylor and Gareth Furlong, along with Payton are on 8.
Rushmere is on 6, with Ben Park, Rob Farrington, Conor Williamson, Tim Nurse and Will Haspel all on 3. Max Anderson not only scored his first goal for Surbiton to open the scoring against Beeston, but also became the sixth Surbiton player to score in what is proving to be a lucky 13th minute.
James Gall and Nick Park have both scored once this season.
Holcombe take on Beeston at 1700 on Saturday. In Pool A, Old Georgians are at home to Hampstead & Westminster and East Grinstead visit Wimbledon. Old Georgians and Wimbledon can qualify for the Finals Weekend if they both win on Saturday.
At the bottom of the table, Richmond's immediate return to Division One hockey was confirmed after their 4-3 defeat at Southgate, and Bowdon's fate could also be sealed at Trent Park as anything other than a victory for the Altrincham club will see their stay in the top flight last just one season. Even with a victory, Bowdon would have to overcome a nineteen goal inferior goal difference over their last two league games to send Southgate down in their place.