W1 In Contention For Finals Day Qualification After Week 1
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women are fourth after the first weekend of the Super 6s Premier Division thanks to two victories on Sunday including a dramatic come from behind win over Leicester City.
Surbiton had been frustrated after narrow defeats to both East Grinstead and Slough on Saturday, but showed their battling qualities to beat Repton 4-3 and Leicester City 3-2.
Reigning champions Repton had struggled on the first day, losing 5-2 to newly promoted Harleston Magpies and suffering a heavy 8-1 defeat to East Grinstead, but they bounced back on Sunday to take a fourth minute lead against Surbiton courtesy of Lucy Barker.
Surbiton, also looking for their first points of the campaign, stayed patient and led 2-1 at the break, Josie Hippe scoring in the tenth and 19th minutes to turn the match around.
Repton were handed a double blow when Steph Elliott scored Surbiton's third goal in the 25th minute and Maelona Rees added a fourth a minute later to leave the champions trailing 4-1, but Esme Burge reduced the deficit to 4-2 at the end of the third quarter.
Burge's second goal of the match with five minutes remaining left a few anxious moments, but Surbiton prevailed to come out on top 4-3.
In the final game of the day, Surbiton faced Leicester City, who went into the match having lost all three previous games: 5-3 to Guildford, 1-0 to Slough and 6-2 to Buckingham and when Rees put Surbiton ahead in the ninth minute, Leicester seemed to be on the way to defeat again.
But the three minute period before half time nearly proved disastrous as Frances McCormack equalised in the 17th minute and Surbiton missed out on the chance to restore the lead from a penalty stroke. The momentum seemed to be with the East Midlands side when Florencia D'Hers put Leicester ahead for the first time early in the third quarter and Surbiton still trailed with just four minutes remaining.
But having had their hearts broken by Slough less than 24 hours earlier, it was Surbiton's turn to snatch a win, Alice Sharp converting penalty corners in the 37th and 40th minutes to secure a much needed 3-2 victory and move Surbiton up to fourth ahead of Guildford on goal difference.
Buckingham lead the way with a maximum 12 points after week 1, East Grinstead and Slough in second and third respectively on ten points after they drew 2-2 in the second game on Sunday.
Surbiton and Guildford are both on six points with Surbiton having a four better goal difference. Harleston Magpies are on four points with Repton moving out of the relegation zone after a 2-0 win over Bowdon. Bowdon have a solitary point and are currently in the relegation zone with Leicester City who are pointless after four games.
Surbiton face a tough start next weekend when they face leaders Buckingham in their first game of week 2, but will hope to beat eighth place Bowdon. On Sunday, they take on the two promoted clubs, Harleston Magpies and Guildford.
More information about the Women's Super 6s can be found at the England Hockey Altius website here