W1 Host Hampstead On Saturday Evening
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women face a key match in the Women's Hockey League Premier Division Top Six as they take on Hampstead & Westminster for the second time this season at Sugden Road, on Saturday evening (push back 1800).
Surbiton will go to the top of the table for the first time since 28 September if they avenge the 2-0 defeat which Hampstead inflicted on 19 October, when Rose Tynan and Sofia Martin both scored for Hampstead.
Supporters who can't attend Sugden Road for the game can watch the match via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here.
Hampstead stunned long time leaders Reading with a comprehensive 5-1 victory at Sonning Lane on 23 November, a win which saw Hampstead top the table for the first time this season.
Hampstead have been there ever since, but a 2-0 defeat at Wimbledon last weekend which ended a 12 game unbeaten run since a 1-0 defeat at East Grinstead on the opening day of the season, has opened the door for Surbiton to go top with one game remaining.
Surbiton are also under pressure from third-placed Reading, currently a point behind Surbiton in the race to finish top of the Top Six and secure the first European place as a minimum. A top two finish would also ensure that Surbiton play all three playoff pool games at home in their quest to reach the finals at Nottingham Hockey Centre in May.
Wimbledon are the only team to have avoided defeat to Hampstead this season as their first meeting ended in a 1-1 draw at Paddington Recreation Centre.
Hampstead's consistency this season has been due to Lucy Hyams, who has scored nine goals this season, being well supported by Madi Ratcliffe on eight and Catherine Ledesma on six. Tynan has scored five goals, Martin three, along with Tyler Lench and Anna Moore has scored twice.
Jo Leigh, Esme Burge, Philippa Lewis and Olivia Hamilton have all found the net once and Olivia will be hoping to better Sophie again in the Hamilton bragging rights category after Hampstead's victory earlier this season.
After the disappointment of dropping two points to Reading for the second time this season when the Top Six season resumed, Surbiton have stormed to a 4-1 win at Wimbledon and a 5-0 win at Loughborough Students over the last two weekends.
Ellie Mackenzie returned last Saturday after being on Scotland duty in Chile and scored twice, trailing team-mate Darcy Bourne by one goal in Surbiton's top scorer charts, Bourne on ten and Mackenzie on nine. Erica Sanders scored her fifth goal of the campaign to open the scoring at Loughborough, whilst Sophie Hamilton scored her third goal this season.
Amber Walton kept her fourth clean sheet of the season, having conceded just one goal per match on five occasions as Surbiton have conceded 17 goals this season, with Hampstead having the best defensive record with only 12 goals conceded.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Reading host Wimbledon and Loughborough Students travel to East Grinstead.
In the Lower Six, it's only a matter of time before Sutton Coldfield's relegation back to Division One is confirmed after they lost their thirteenth game of the season, 4-2 at home to Bowdon.
Bowdon and Clifton Robinsons currently hold the top two places in the Lower Six, but only four points separate the top four teams. Bowdon are at home to the University of Nottingham; Holcombe, who are currently in the relegation zone, welcome Clifton Robinsons to Kent and Sutton Coldfield host the University of Birmingham.