W1 Win 2-0 At East Grinstead
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women are second in the Women's Hockey League Premier Division following their 2-0 win at East Grinstead on Saturday which saw the West Sussex's 13 game regular season unbeaten run ended.
Surbiton were also the last team to beat East Grinstead in the Premier Division regular season when they won 4-1 at Saint Hill in October 2023, although East Grinstead won 1-0, also in West Sussex last February.
And since the first meeting in 2015-16, it's the fourth time that Surbiton have won at Saint Hill by a margin of 2-0 after they won by the same score on their first three visits up to 2017-18.
The game can be watched back via the East Grinstead Hockey TV channel on You Tube here
The first ten minutes of the match were played in heavy rain as both teams had a lot of possession with defences on top. Katie Curtis forced an early save from home goalkeeper Mila Welch, whilst unusually there were no penalty corners for either side in the first half.
Surbiton took the lead in the 22nd minute, Darcy Bourne crossing the ball from the right for Ellie Mackenzie to score her second goal of the season.
Surbiton led 1-0 at half time when the weather looked set to improve for the second half.
And just like buses, having had no penalty corners in the first half, East Grinstead had three awards in a five minute spell starting in the 40th minute, Surbiton defending well with Amber Walton also on hand to make saves as necessary.
Surbiton had their first penalty corner in the 42nd minute when Jordan Homann was thwarted as East Grinstead were awarded a free hit and nine minutes later, Meg Dowthwaite came close to doubling Surbiton's lead from their second award, unable to connect in the circle.
But Dowthwaite was not to be denied in the 62nd minute, Bourne this time passing the ball from the left for Dowthwaite to score from short range, giving Welch no time to react.
Bourne saw green and Alice Wills had a first half green card followed by a second half yellow whilst East Grinstead's Alex Malzer had a late green card, but Surbiton avoided a second successive league defeat.
Reading are now the only team in the Premier Division with maximum points after 4 games, after their 7-2 home win over Sutton Coldfield. Mia Moore's hat-trick and Lorna Mackenzie's brace, plus goals from Georgia Jones and Jo Pinner earned the Berkshire club a three point lead over Surbiton. Laura Groves and Vicky Woolford scored for Sutton Coldfield.
East Grinstead dropped to fourth, with Hampstead & Westminster, Surbiton's opponents next week, now in third after a 5-1 win at Loughborough Students. Catherine Ledesma and Tyler Lench each scored twice for Hampstead with Madi Ratcliffe adding the fifth. Liv Breed scored Loughborough's consolation.
Bowdon are fifth after their second successive win on the road, 3-0 at Wimbledon. Alex Lukin, Rebecca Birch and Lucy Smith all scored for the visitors.
The University of Birmingham joined Holcombe on six points after a 1-0 win in Kent. Lily Sokhi scored the only goal of the match.
Clifton Robinsons earned their first point of the season, 2-2 at the University of Nottingham. Maddie Axford scored both goals for the students with Sarah-Jayne Thorburn and Rebecca Daniel replying for Clifton.
Surbiton's home game with Hampstead & Westminster next Saturday starts at 1400.