M1 Win 1-0 At Holcombe
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Men won 1-0 at Holcombe on Saturday night to cement their second place in the Men's Hockey League Premier Division and avenge their first league defeat of the season.
Surbiton won at Holcombe Park for the first time since December 2019 when they won 3-2, but in February 2024, Conor Williamson's 42nd minute goal, capitalising on a rebound from a penalty corner, was enough to secure the victory.
Holcombe had won the first meeting of the season in September when they won 3-2 at Sugden Road.
Holcombe's four league defeats this season have come at the hands of the top three teams with Old Georgians winning home and away and Wimbledon winning in Kent. Holcombe travel to Wimbledon on Thursday night in a rearranged game, with Holcombe set to go above Wimbledon on goal difference with a win, but Wimbledon would open up a three point lead over Holcombe and trail Surbiton by three points if they are successful.
Wimbledon won 3-0 at Southgate, Duncan Scott, Jack Waller and Ian Sloan all scoring in the first half.
Old Georgians stayed top after a 5-3 away win at Hampstead & Westminster. Alan Forsyth scored twice for Old Georgians with Tom Carson, Matt Brown and Elliot Messem also scoring. Hampstead's goals came from a Matt Guise-Brown penalty corner hat-trick, including two goals in the last minute.
The two qualifying places in the Men's Lower Six for the League Finals are still up for grabs with two games to play as the top three are separated by just two points.
Oxted lead the way with 20 points after a 4-3 away win at Reading. Two goals from Guy Morgan and goals from Alexander Fraser and Brad Sherwood won the match for Oxted, although Dan Cox, Ben Mackey and Joseph Murphy replied for Reading.
Beeston won a nine goal thriller 5-4 and came from 2-0 down to beat Cardiff & Met and stay a point behind Oxted. Ioan Wall and Jack Pritchard put Cardiff in the ascendancy, but Jamie Rawlings, Max Sowter and Robbie Gleeson put the Nottingham club 3-2 ahead early in the third quarter. Owain Dolan Gray levelled for Cardiff before Rawlings restored Beeston's lead. Henry Croft scored to give Beeston a 5-3 advantage, but Nick Morgan caused a few anxious moments for the hosts when he scored Cardiff's fourth goal with seven minutes remaining.
East Grinstead stayed in contention and two points behind Oxted with a 3-1 win at the University of Nottingham. Max Lowrey scored all three East Grinstead goals with Alex Sheldon scoring for the hosts.
Surbiton follow Holcombe to Wimbledon next Saturday. Push back at Raynes Park High School is 1600.