W1 End Premier Division Phase One In Third
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women ended Phase One of the Women's Hockey League Premier Division in third place in spite of winning 2-1 at the University of Birmingham on Saturday afternoon.
Long term leaders Reading not only saw their unbeaten season ended in emphatic style as Hampstead & Westminster won 5-1 at Sonning Lane, but Hampstead went top of the table for the first time this season as a result of their stunning victory.
Hampstead will go into Phase Two with a two point advantage over Reading, with Surbiton a further point behind. East Grinstead are fourth and Wimbledon fifth, but the sixth place is still up for grabs after Loughborough Students, who are currently sixth, saw their home match with Bowdon postponed as Bowdon could not travel due to Storm Bert.
Loughborough are in pole position with only a heavy defeat to Bowdon when the game is rearranged, likely to stop them qualifying for the Top Six.
Birmingham also had hopes of qualifying for the Top Six as they went into the game trailing Loughborough by a single point, but are currently eighth after Clifton Robinsons drew 1-1 at East Grinstead.
Birmingham and Surbiton battled in wet and windy conditions with Sophie Hamilton and Alice Sharp combining early, only for Lottie Bingham to defend for the hosts.
Sarah Kirgan also defended well against Eloise Stenner with Birmingham determined to hold firm against the Surbiton forwards and restrict goalscoring chances.
Birmingham goalkeeper Evie Wood saved shots from Sharp and Darcy Bourne in a goalless first quarter.
In recent weeks, Surbiton have forced plenty of penalty corners, but unusually, it was Birmingham who threatened from the set pieces, having one opportunity in each of the first two quarters and wondering how they didn't score three minutes before half time when a shot went over the bar.
A goal would have been an equaliser as Surbiton went ahead in the 29th minute thanks to Erica Sanders and Hamilton combining to find Ellie Mackenzie at the left post to open the scoring.
Surbiton were looking for a second goal after half time and it came just five minutes into the third quarter, Bourne's shot ending up in the roof of the net to give the visitors the insurance goal.
Sanders was particularly unlucky not to score against one of her former clubs as her shots went both wide left and wide right of the goal.
Wood made further saves to prevent Surbiton extending their lead and for the second week running, Surbiton goalkeeper was denied a clean sheet late, Ruby Spavin ending Birmingham's drought of goalscoring by scoring from open play two minutes from time, ending a 284 minute run since Sarah Parkinson-Mills scored at the University of Nottingham on 26 October.
Hampstead went top of the Premier Division thanks to goals from Rose Tynan, Madi Ratcliffe, Catherine Ledesma, Anna Moore and Lucy Hyams. Mia Moore scored Reading's consolation in the 5-1 defeat.
East Grinstead were held 1-1 at home by Clifton Robinsons. Both goals were scored within two minutes of each other, Biba Mills putting East Grinstead ahead in the 53rd minute and Rebecca Daniel levelling for Clifton in the 55th, both from penalty corners.
Wimbledon's Becky Manton scored five of her side's goals in the 10-1 win at Sutton Coldfield. Katie Birch scored twice with the other goals coming from Lucy Holder, Flora Peel and Phoebe Barnett. Vicky Woolford scored for Sutton Coldfield with five minutes remaining.
Holcombe and the University of Nottingham drew 1-1 in Kent, Claudia Swain giving Nottingham a ninth minute lead, only for Robyn Hodges to equalise in the 53rd minute.
The match between Loughborough Students and Bowdon will be rearranged.