M1 Resume Premier Division Campaign At Home To Oxted On Saturday
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men resume their Men's Hockey League Premier Division campaign when Oxted visit Sugden Road on Saturday evening (push back 1800).
The restart takes place a week after the women's league resumption due to the FIH Pro League's latest round of matches ending later.
Although the FIH Pro League has been the focus of attention, Surbiton's Struan Walker was a member of the Scottish Men's team which won the Hockey Nations Cup 2 tournament in Oman, beating Egypt 4-2 in the final.
Walker and former Surbiton player Jamie Golden were the joint top scorers with eight goals as Scotland won promotion to the Hockey Nations Cup, a tier below the FIH Pro League.
Walker will be hoping to add to the 17 goals he scored in Phase One as Phase Two sees a repeat of the opening day fixture in September when Surbiton won 4-2. Jamie Batten gave Oxted the lead before Surbiton led 4-1 through goals from Luke Taylor, Stuart Rushmere, Ben Park and Walker. Owen Williamson notched what ultimately proved to be a consolation two minutes from the end.
The match report for the Oxted clash in September can be read here.
Supporters unable to attend Sugden Road can watch the match via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here.
Oxted finally reached their objective of finishing Phase One in the Top Six after previously just missing out. Williamson is their top scorer with seven goals, closely followed by Peter Jarvis of five. Guy Morgan is on four with Charlie Axford on three. Batten, Lucas Ward, Chris Porter and Michael Royden-Turner are all on two with Oliver Bennett, Thomas Finnegan and Josiah Wood all having found the net once.
In Phase One, Taylor scored seven goals, Jakes Payton and Smith both scored five goals, Ben Park, Will Haspel and Gareth Furlong netted three times, Rushmere, Rob Farrington, Conor Williamson and Tim Nurse all scored twice and James Gall and Nick Park scored once apiece.
Third-placed Surbiton face Oxted, seven points adrift of leaders Old Georgians, who won all eleven games in Phase One, with Holcombe five points behind in second place. Holcombe visit Old Georgians in their first match of 2025, with fourth placed Wimbledon taking on fifth placed Hampstead & Westminster.
The Lower Six resumed last week when Southgate won 3-2 at Cardiff & Met as both teams sought to avoid a double header weekend on 22/ 23 March.
Cardiff & Met are at home again this week as Bowdon are the visitors, whilst Southgate host East Grinstead and Richmond make their third trip of the season to Nottingham Hockey Centre to take on Beeston, after the opening day fixture was abandoned and had to be rearranged for the following weekend.