W1 And U16 Girls In Super Sixes Action This Weekend
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women and Surbiton's Under-16 Girls are both in Super Sixes action this weekend with Surbiton Women aiming to finish in the top four in the Premier Division in Repton and qualify for Finals Day at Derby Arena on 26 January, whilst the girls will be in Derby themselves on Saturday in the Clubs Finals.
Surbiton Women go into the second weekend of the Premier Division in second place, two points behind leaders and reigning champions, East Grinstead. Surbiton beat Harleston Magpies 10-3 and drew 1-1 with Holcombe last Saturday before beating Sutton Coldfield 6-0 and Repton 8-2 on Sunday.
East Grinstead won all four matches to end the first weekend on 12 points, with Surbiton on ten. Buckingham and Sutton Coldfield are third and fourth respectively, both on nine points with Holcombe just outside the qualification places in fifth, on seven points.
Slough and Guildford are on three points whilst Harleston Magpies and Repton will be looking for their first points of the tournament.
Surbiton have what could prove to be a key match at 1330 on Saturday when they face Buckingham, who they beat 4-1 in the semi-finals at Derby in 2024.
As with Surbiton Men, Surbiton Women play in the last game of the day when they face Guildford in a Surrey derby at 1830.
Then on Sunday, Surbiton face East Grinstead in a noon showdown and a rematch of last year's final, which the West Sussex club won 6-1. Three hours later at 1500, Slough are Surbiton's final opposition as they hope for a top four finish for the second year running.
Surbiton's Erica Sanders is currently the top scorer in the Premier Division with eleven goals, but Surbiton are scheduled to face the six scorers immediately below her in the list over the weekend, including East Grinstead's Biba Mills, Guildford's Kerryn Swanepoel and Buckingham's Sally Walton, who was unfortunately injured during last season's final four clash.
More information about the Women's Premier Division can be found via the England Hockey Altius website here.
The matches can also be followed in real time via the England Hockey Altius website.
Meanwhile, Surbiton's Under-16 Girls get a preview of the Derby Arena on Saturday in the Girls' Clubs Finals.
Surbiton are in Pool B and will take on Bowdon at 11.25, Leeds at 1305 and Reading at 1445.
Pool A comprises Clifton Robinsons, Hertford, Knole Park and Repton.
The winner of Pool A faces the runners-up of Pool B and vice-versa in the semi-finals, with the two winners meeting in the final.
The teams which finish third in the pools meet for the fifth/ sixth place playoff and the fourth place teams play for seventh and eighth place.
As with the Women's Premier Division, more information about the U16 Girls Club Finals and the games can be followed in real time at the England Hockey Altius website here.
The event programme for the U16/ U18 Boys and Girls Clubs Finals can be found here.