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L1 Fourth After Opening Day of Super 6s Championships

 

7th January 2023

By Colin Pike

Surbiton Ladies began their Super Sixes Championships Premier Division campaign at Repton School on Saturday with a 2-2 draw against last year's runners-up, Repton and a 5-2 win over Sutton Coldfield to finish the opening day in fourth place.

Bowdon and East Grinstead both won their first two matches and are the only teams with one hundred per cent records in the Premier Division. Repton and Surbiton are third and fourth respectively on four points with Repton a five goal better goal difference.

Slough and Buckingham are fifth and sixth after winning one and losing one game on the opening day and Sutton Coldfield, Leicester and Sevenoaks all struggled as they lost both matches.

Surbiton fielded an eight player squad in the opening match against Repton and took the lead in the 17th minute as Lilie Lamacraft scored from open play. Surbiton proved to be vulnerable defensively at the start of the third quarter and conceded an equaliser in the 21st minute through Ellie Watton. Steph Elliott's 30th minute penalty corner restored Surbiton's lead but Repton salvaged a point three minutes later when Amelia Pollock levelled for a second time for Repton.

Surbiton can take heart from their performance as Repton not only included German internationals Janne Muller-Wieland and Sonja Zimmermann in their starting lineup but also former Surbiton player Erica Sanders who captained the Derbyshire based team.

Sutton Coldfield had lost 5-2 to East Grinstead in their first match and Surbiton also won by the same score. 

Surbiton struck twice in the third minute from open play through Alice Wills and Elliott but were then pegged back in the 16th minute as Emma McCabe scored for Sutton Coldfield. Surbiton's two goal advantage was restored in the 19th minute as Holly Payne converted a penalty corner.

Surbiton were punished in the 21st minute for the second time running as McCabe scored her second goal of the match, but two open play goals from Lamacraft in the 25th and 26th minutes cemented Surbiton's position. 

Surbiton face reigning champions East Grinstead in their first match on Sunday (11 am) before finishing their first weekend against Sevenoaks at 3 pm. 

After their 5-2 win over Sutton Coldfield, East Grinstead had a tougher task against Slough but won 2-1 to maintain their perfect start. Sevenoaks, who were promoted from Division One with Surbiton last season struggled, losing 9-1 to Repton and then 12-3 to Bowdon in the final game of the day, Sally Walton scoring six goals to take her total to eight as the Premier Division's leading goalscorer.

More information about the Premier Division can be found at the England Hockey Altius website via this link

In Division One, Guildford and Knole Park won their first two games to open up an early two point lead over third placed Harleston Magpies. Fourth placed Wimbledon, who were relegated from the Premier Division last season, incredibly lost 7-5 to Guildford then won 7-5 over Clifton Robinsons. Cambridge City and Holcombe are both without a point at the bottom of the table after the first day's action.

Division Two is split into North and South sections with the top three teams from each section qualifying for the National Division. In the North, Beeston and City of York have six points with the University of Birmingham and Alderley Edge currently in contention for the third qualifying place on three points. In the South, Barnes and Canterbury are on six points with Ipswich and Team Bath Buccaneers on three points in third and fourth respectively.

With Division Two consisting of two six team sections, the regional Division Two stage will conclude on Sunday.