M1 Win First Two Games At Super Sixes
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men won their first two games of the Super Sixes Premier Division at Repton School on Saturday to stake an early claim.
A thrilling 5-4 win over Hampstead & Westminster was followed by a 9-3 win over Wimbledon as the team found their form after having to battle in Game One.
Hampstead had finished top of the Premier Division qualifying table last season before losing to eventual champions East Grinstead in the semi-finals and showed great character before going down to Surbiton.
The deadlock wasn't broken until the 14th minute when Alan Forsyth put Surbiton ahead, but Hampstead responded almost immediately Kei Kaeppeler levelling a minute later.
Rob Farrington ensured Surbiton led 2-1 at half time with a 19th minute goal but Hampstead fought back in the third quarter to lead for the first time.
Rupert Shipperley made the score 2-2 in the 26th minute and Kaeppeler put Hampstead ahead in the 29th minute to put Surbiton under pressure.
Forsyth levelled the game at 3-3 at the end of the third quarter, but Hampstead led 4-3 with five minutes remaining thanks to Kwan Browne.
Hampstead hearts were broken by Forsyth with goals in the 39th and 40th minutes to ensure that Surbiton came out on top after a testing first match.
In contrast, Surbiton threatened to run away with the match against Wimbledon, leading 4-0 after just 13 minutes. Forsyth was once more on target in the seventh minute with Arjan Drayton Chana doubling the lead a minute later.
Jonty Griffiths scored against his former club in the 12th minute and Forsyth scored Surbiton's fourth goal in what seemed to be an unlucky 13th minute.
Wimbledon's Ed Horler stemmed the time with a goal in the 14th minute but a double from Forsyth in the 16th and 17th minutes with the first goal coming from a penalty stroke gave Surbiton a convincing 6-1 half time advantage.
Ben Boon got his name on the scoresheet in the 25th minute before Rory Patterson scored either side of the third quarter break with a penalty corner conversion in the 30th minute and an open play goal in the 31st minute to reduce Surbiton's lead to 7-3.
That was as close as Wimbledon were to get as Forsyth claimed his fifth goal of the match in the 38th minute and Drayton Chana scored his second goal with one minute remaining to close out the 9-3 victory.
At the end of day one, Surbiton and Holcombe are the only two teams on maximum points. Hampstead, Sevenoaks, East Grinstead and Wimbledon all have three points whilst Bowdon and Reading have one point each after they drew 4-4 in the first match of the competition.
Canterbury are bottom after losing both their games.
Surbiton face Reading at 11 am on Sunday and then have a rematch of the 2019 final when they take on East Grinstead at 4 pm.