W1 Host University of Nottingham on Saturday
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women will be looking to bounce back from last weekend's disappointment when they lost a 3-0 lead and had to settle for a 3-3 draw at East Grinstead when they welcome the University of Nottingham to Sugden Road on Saturday evening (push back 1700).
Supporters unable to attend on Saturday evening can watch the match being streamed on the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here
Surbiton seemed to be firmly in control at Saint Hill when a quick Maddie Axford double and Erica Sanders' penalty stroke gave the visitors a three goal advantage, but East Grinstead battled back courtesy of a Biba Mills set-piece hat-trick consisting of one penalty stroke and two penalty corner conversions.
Axford will be facing her former club, who have struggled, losing all three league games to join Barnes and Clifton Robinsons as the only Premier Divisions without a point.
Nottingham lost 5-1 at home to Loughborough Students before crashing 7-1 at promoted club, Durham University in Week 2. An improved performance at home to Reading last week saw the Berkshire club win 3-1. Lucy Millington, Freya Robinson and Star Horlock have scored for the Nottingham students this season.
Historically, Surbiton have a one hundred per cent record against the East Midlands club, although the teams first met in 2022-23. Surbiton have scored six goals against Nottingham in the last three meetings at Sugden Road, winning 6-1, 6-1 and 6-2 after winning the very first meeting 4-0.
Surbiton have only faced the students at Nottingham Hockey Centre once, coming away with a 5-0 win and all three points in 2023-24.
Surbiton would like to get off to a lightning quick start for the second week running after Axford's 24 seconds strike at East Grinstead, which is the fastest goal scored by Surbiton Women in the National League, but regardless will expect to end the day with another three points.
Hampstead & Westminster, who lead the Premier Division table as the only team with maximum points, visit Barnes. Hampstead are yet to concede a goal after Miriam Pritchard has kept three consecutive clean sheets, whilst Barnes have failed to score in their first three league matches in the top-flight.
The University of Birmingham dropped their first points in a 4-4 draw against Wimbledon last week and travel to Reading this weekend.
Durham University tasted defeat in the Premier Division for the first time at Bowdon last week, and they head to East Grinstead for the teams' first meeting in the National League.
Bowdon make the long trip to Bristol to face a Clifton Robinsons team who will hope to emulate Bowdon's feat of earning their first points of the season on home turf.
The remaining fixture is a mid-table battle when Loughborough Students visit Wimbledon.