M1 Visit Hampstead & Westminster On Saturday Evening
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men conclude their Men's Premier Division Phase 2 campaign on Saturday night when they visit Hampstead & Westminster (push back 1800).
Surbiton visit Paddington Recreation Ground for a match which is in effect a dead rubber as Surbiton will finish second and Hampstead are guaranteed a fifth-placed finish.
The only issue to be decided in the Top Six is third and fourth places involving Holcombe and Wimbledon.
Old Georgians finished top of the Premier Division table for the fourth season in succession and go into the final round of matches with a ten point lead over Surbiton after being given a massive scare last Sunday before the champions prevailed 4-3 at Sugden Road.
Oxted are guaranteed to finish sixth having qualified for the Top Six for the first time. Beeston have qualified for the playoffs from the Lower Six and will be joined by either Cardiff & Met or East Grinstead. Cardiff hold a three point advantage over East Grinstead.
Hampstead have struggled in recent matches, their only victory in their last five matches coming in a 3-2 win over Holcombe last Saturday. The other four games were lost, starting with a 6-3 defeat at Sugden Road in November.
The nine goals were scored by nine different players. Kiran Arunasalam gave Hampstead a second minute lead before James Gall levelled for Surbiton. Tim Guise-Brown restored Hampstead's lead but goals from Nick Park and Gareth Furlong earned a 3-2 half time lead for Surbiton. Struan Walker extended Surbiton' lead before Ted Graves reduced Hampstead's deficit to 4-3. Further goals from Jake Smith and Luke Taylor completed the 6-3 win.
Matt Guise-Brown is Hampstead's top scorer with ten goals this season, supported by Josh Kelly and Tim Guise-Brown on eight goals apiece. Arunasalam has netted on five occasions, with Rupert Shipperley on four. Kei Kaeppeler is on three with Timothy Cross, James Oates, Nicholas Steffens, Jolyon Morgan and Matt Richards all on two.
Tom Crowson, Graves, Stephen Kelly and Jake Glew have all found the net once this season.
Surbiton have lost twice this season, both times to Old Georgians. Struan Walker is Surbiton's top scorer with 20 goals with Jake Payton, who scored at Wimbledon and at Old Georgians last weekend, on eight goals. Luke Taylor, Jake Smith, and Gareth Furlong, who scored at hat-trick at Raynes Park High School last Saturday in the 5-1 win at Wimbledon, are all on seven goals.
Stuart Rushmere has been consistent with five goals across the season, and has had excellent support from Ben Park, Conor Williamson, Tim Nurse and Will Haspel who have each scored three goals. Rob Farrington has scored twice with James Gall and Nick Park scoring once.
As it's the final weekend of matches of Phase 2, all the matches in the Men's Premier Division start at 1800. Wimbledon host Old Georgians while Holcombe visit Oxted, with third-placed Wimbledon holding a one point lead over fourth-placed Holcombe.
In the Lower Six, Cardiff & Met host Beeston in a battle of the top two. If Beeston win, then East Grinstead can qualify for the playoffs with a victory at Richmond, as they have a four goal better goal difference than the Welsh side and both teams would end up with 19 points.
Southgate make the long trip to Bowdon, with both teams destined to play in the relegation playoff fixtures over the final three weeks of the season.