W1 Travel To Bowdon On Saturday
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women make the long trip to Altrincham on Saturday when they face Bowdon in the Women's Hockey League Premier Division (push back 1330).
However, for the first time, it will not be their longest trip of the season as they visit the University of Durham in the last match of Stage 1 in late November.
Surbiton have won on their last four visits to Bowdon, including winning 6-0 and 7-1 in the last two seasons.
Bowdon have only beaten Surbiton once since Surbiton made their debut in the top flight in 2012-13, Sally Walton and Tina Cullen scoring to give Bowdon a 2-1 win on their first visit to Bowdon.
Bowdon also beat Surbiton 4-1 in the 2011 Women's Cup final at Cannock, when Surbiton were in the Conference East, but Bowdon's fourth and last league title came in 2008-09 and after losing their Premier Division status for the first time in 2019-20, they spent three seasons in Division One North before returning in 2023-24.
Bowdon have consolidated their Premier Division status and began their third season back in the Premier with two successive defeats, 3-0 at the University of Birmingham and 1-0 at Hampstead & Westminster. They inflicted Durham University's first ever defeat in the Premier Division 3-2 at home, and then won 3-1 at Clifton Robinsons last weekend.
Bowdon's six goals have been scored by six different players: Freya Bellamy, Lauren Burrell, Jaimee Eades, Hannah Grieve, Xenna Hughes and Alia Jaques.
Meanwhile, Surbiton rebounded from the disappointment of losing a three goal lead at East Grinstead and have to settle for a 3-3 draw by thrashing the University of Nottingham 8-0 last Saturday, Darcy Bourne becoming the second Surbiton Women's player to score four goals in a Premier Division match after Beckie Middleton scored four at home to another Nottingham club, Beeston in 2014-15.
Erica Sanders' brace and an opening goal from Amy Costello and a last minute goal by Martha Taylor contributed to Surbiton's clinical performance.
Elsewhere, leaders Hampstead & Westminster who are now the only team with maximum points and conceded their first goal last week, visit Loughborough Students.
Third-placed University of Birmingham have a Midlands derby with the University of Nottingham who are one of three teams yet to earn their first point of the season.
Fifth-placed East Grinstead visit Barnes, another team without a point this season, and sixth-placed Reading travel down the M4 to Clifton Robinsons, the third team aiming to get off the mark this season.
Durham University won both of their first two home games and will be aiming to continue their home form when Wimbledon make the even longer trip to Durham.