M1 Home To Holcombe On Saturday Evening
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men take on Holcombe on Saturday evening in the Men's Hockey League Phase Two, with both teams currently Old Georgians' nearest challengers in the Top Six table.
As in previous seasons, Old Georgians are in dominating form having won all twelve games to open up a seven point lead over second-placed Surbiton and eight points over third-placed Holcombe.
Old Georgians can't clinch the first place finish after Phase 2 weekend, although if Surbiton and Holcombe draw, and Old Georgians win at Hampstead & Westminster, the reigning champions would all but seal the place with a nine point lead over Surbiton and a superior goal difference.
The game starts at 1800 at Sugden Road and supporters who can't attend the match can watch the game via the Surbiton Hockey Club stream on You Tube here.
Holcombe dropped from second to third after their 3-1 defeat at Old Georgians, Surbiton beating Oxted 5-3 to overtake them in the table.
Jake Payton scored in the first minute to become the first Surbiton M1 player to net within the first sixty seconds since Ben Boon set Surbiton on their way to an 8-1 home win over Brooklands Manchester University in September 2020. Stuart Rushmere scored twice, Struan Walker and Jake Smith were also on target against a determined Oxted team which broke through the home defence on three occasions through Oliver Bennett, Charlie Axford and Michael Royden-Turner.
Holcombe have lost twice this season, both defeats coming at the hands of Old Georgians, the first defeat 5-2 at Holcombe Park in October. Teague Marcano with 14 goals and Matt Ramshaw with ten have been Holcombe's outstanding scorers, but have received plenty of support through Tom Russell on five, Rob Field on four and Mubashar Ali and Rob Pendle's three goals apiece.
Felix Tully has found the net twice with All Shan, Rohan Bhuhi, Tim Neild, Samkelo Nvimbi and Sam Taylor all scored once each.
The meeting at Holcombe Park in October ended in an entertaining 4-4 draw and it was Ramshaw's brace and goals from Marcano and Field which earned a point. Walker, who scored his 18th goal of the season against Oxted last week, Tim Nurse, Ben Park and Luke Taylor scored for Surbiton with Taylor scoring a last gasp penalty corner equaliser to earn the valuable point.
The match report for the first meeting with Holcombe can be found here.
Holcombe have won on their last two visits to Sugden Road, winning 2-1 in the playoff semi-final in April 2023 and 3-2 in the Premier Division in September 2023. Surbiton had beaten Holcombe 3-2 in Phase Two in February 2023, but Holcombe were too good when the teams met two months later.
On Saturday, the other Top Six fixture sees Wimbledon travel to Caterham School to take on Oxted.
In the Lower Six, where the top two teams (seventh and eighth overall) will join the Top Six teams in the playoffs, Cardiff & Met have a three point lead over Beeston and a four point lead over third-placed East Grinstead, however the Welsh club have played a game more.
Cardiff & Met travel to East Grinstead for a match which could see Cardiff cement their place at the top of the Lower Six rankings whilst Beeston go to Bowdon. Richmond and Southgate, battling against relegation, meet in West London.