W1 Face A Must Win Clash With Reading On Saturday
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women face a must win clash with Reading in the WHL League Finals Pool B on Saturday if they are going to qualify for the Finals Weekend at Nottingham Hockey Centre on 3/4 May.
Surbiton return from the Euro Hockey League in 's-Hertogenbosch to focus on ensuring that the defence of their league title goes to the final weekend after a shock 4-3 home defeat to Loughborough Students on 12 April.
Surbiton have never failed to qualify for the playoffs since their debut season in the Premier Division in 2012-13, but their place in 2024-25 is in jeopardy with Loughborough set to face Clifton Robinsons in their final game.
Clifton lost 6-1 at Surbiton and 7-0 at Reading in their opening two matches, with Loughborough having the incentive to make history and reach the last four for the first time in their history.
As it is the last weekend of fixtures, all games start at 1400 and supporters unable to attend Sugden Road can watch the match via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here.
Surbiton will be concerned that in two of their last three matches, they led 2-0 and 3-2 before losing 5-3 to East Grinstead and 4-3 to Loughborough. Both games against Reading this season have been drawn, and if the third meeting also finishes level, a shootout will be held, but if Loughborough beat Clifton Robinsons, then Surbiton will be eliminated regardless of the shootout result.
The first match at Sonning Lane ended 4-4 with Lorna Mackenzie giving the Berkshire club a 2-0 lead before Jordan Homann halved the deficit just before half time. Mia Moore restored Reading's lead before Martha Taylor made the score 3-3. Fran Clements put Reading 4-3 up, but Bourne earned a vital point nine minutes from time in an entertaining encounter.
The rematch was both teams' first match of 2025 and this time it was Surbiton's turn to lead and be pegged back. Alice Sharp's opener was cancelled out by Georgia Howe and although Izzy Petter scored on her return to first team action to leave Reading trailing 2-1, Georgia Jones, just like Bourne had done at Sonning Lane, equalised with nine minutes to play.
Reading have only lost twice this season, a 5-1 defeat at home to Hampstead & Westminster which saw the London club go top for the first time this season and hold a lead then never relinquished on the way to becoming the first English team to qualify for Europe.
The other defeat came in a 6-5 thriller at home to Wimbledon in spite of Caroline Spence scoring for Reading in the first minute.
Mia Moore is Reading's top scorer with 13 goals with Spence on 9. Georgia Jones and Lorna Mackenzie are locked together on six goals with Emma McKenzie Findlay close behind on 5.
Abbie Dixon has scored four goals this season and Annie Wilson has scored three goals. Jemima Copeman, Anna-Ross Gabbitass, Anna Crowley, Georgia Howe and Katie Partridge have all scored twice, with former Surbiton player Jo Pinner, Fran Clements and Lucie Daman each netting once.
Surbiton's Bourne has scored 13 goals like Moore, with Ellie Mackenzie in support on 10. Erica Sanders is on 6, Sophie Hamilton has scored 5 and Alice Wills has found the net 4 times.
Issy Yonge and Jordan Homann have each scored three goals, Martha Taylor, Meg Dowthwaite, Alice Sharp, Izzy Petter and Alice Sharp have all scored twice, with Lottie Ross, Liz Thompson, Eloise Stenner and Holly Wilkinson having scored once apiece.
In Pool A, East Grinstead and Hampstead & Westminster have both qualified for the Finals Weekend after winning both of their opening matches. East Grinstead travel to Hampstead to decide which team finishes top of the pool and determine which team they meet in the playoff semi-finals.
Hampstead can also celebrate coming home from Rakovnik in Czechia with the EuroHockey Club Trophy I after beating Scottish club, Watsonians 3-2 in the final.
Bowdon make the long trip to Raynes Park High School for a dead rubber.
In the relegation playoffs, both Holcombe and Sutton Coldfield know that they will be playing Division One hockey next season, but Sutton Coldfield will want to finish the season on a high by securing their first win of the season at home to the University of Birmingham.
Holcombe travel to the University of Nottingham.