M1 Face Real Prospect of Super 6s Relegation
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men face the real prospect of relegation from the Super 6s Premier Division after losing both games on the third day of competition at Whitgift School, Croydon.
Surbiton need to beat East Grinstead at 1000 and Holcombe at 1300 on Sunday and hope other results go their way if they are to avoid falling through the trapdoor.
On Saturday, Surbiton lost 4-1 to Wimbledon before battling to a narrow 6-5 defeat to Sevenoaks. With one day remaining, two teams from Surbiton, Holcombe and Ashmoor will be relegated with Holcombe having a four point advantage and Ashmoor a five point advantage over the basement team.
Reigning champions Wimbledon led 3-0 over Surbiton after 26 minutes as Evan Kimber opened the scoring in the sixth minute, Ed Horler caught the Surbiton defence out immediately after half time and Rory Patterson added a third in the 26 minute, all three goals coming from open play.
Luke Taylor pulled a goal back from a penalty corner with four minutes remaining but Aki Kaeppeler restored Wimbledon's three goal advantage with a goal in the same manner in the final minute.
In their second game of the day, Surbiton trailed 4-0 to Sevenoaks courtesy of Joe Naughalty's hat-trick with goals in the eighth, 16th and 21st minutes, from a penalty corner and two open play goals, before James Beck converted a penalty corner in the 25th minute.
Taylor and Beck exchanged goals in the 27th minute and the games seemed to be all over at the end of the third quarter when Ben Allberry scored Sevenoaks' sixth goal.
Surbiton stunned Sevenoaks with four goals in the fourth quarter, Stuart Rushmere scoring form open play in the 31st and 36th minutes and Taylor completing a penalty corner hat-trick with goals in the 33rd and 34th minutes but Surbiton couldn't complete the comeback and had to settle for a sixth successive defeat in the division.
Sunday's matches can be followed in real time at the England Hockey Altius website here