W1 Win 3-1 At Holcombe
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women won 3-1 at Holcombe on Saturday afternoon, but stay fourth in the Women's Hockey League Premier Division although they are now just a point behind third-placed East Grinstead who drew 1-1 at Loughborough Students.
Surbiton stay four points behind leaders Reading and three points behind second-placed Hampstead & Westminster.
Holcombe were without Kaitlin Cotter who is registered to play for Falcons in the New Zealand Premier Hockey League, and top scorer, Olivia Shannon, who is also registered to play for Falcons, but has now joined East Grinstead, so Holcombe faced Surbiton with a fourteen player squad.
Surbiton dominated from the start, but in spite of Erica Sanders going close from open play in the first five minutes, all three goals ultimately came from penalty corners.
Even then, the visitors had to wait for their fourth award before taking the lead, having mistrapped the second injection in the seventh minute before Jordan Homann's shot was saved from the third by Holcombe goalkeeper, Tilly Woodhead.
The deadlock was broken in the tenth minute as Alice Wills converted the fourth penalty corner against her former club, with Surbiton's domination suggesting that there would be more goals to come.
However Holcombe defended resolutely, Meg Dowthwaite having a shot defended; Woodhead saving from Alice Sharp and Ellie Mackenzie also forcing a save from Woodhead before half time.
The third quarter saw a similar pattern with Sanders hitting the crossbar, and Darcy Bourne and Sharp seeing further shots saved by Woodhead.
It was Bourne who doubled Surbiton's lead from their eighth penalty corner in the 53rd minute after a Holcombe defender played the ball behind the back-line just before the end of the third quarter.
Having been dominated for three quarters, Holcombe pulled a goal back within a minute of the start of the fourth quarter, Mads Newitt joining Leisa Randall as the only two players in the matchday squad to have scored this season with a reverse stick shot against the backboard.
The Holcombe supporters were encouraged and had hopes of a comeback until Sanders converted Surbiton's ninth penalty corner on the hour to complete a 3-1 win, the same result as on their previous visit to Holcombe Park in November 2021.
Leaders, Reading beat Bowdon 2-0, Annie Wilson and Emma McKenzie Findlay preserving their one point lead over Hampstead & Westminster, who won 3-1 at home to University of Nottingham. Madi Ratcliffe brace following Catherine Ledesma's opener, clinched the three points for the hosts. Freya Robinson scored for Nottingham.
East Grinstead dropped points at Loughborough Students, where they drew 1-1. Both Shannon and Emma Bandurak, former Holcombe players, played for East Grinstead, but it was Biba Mills' penalty stroke which rescued a point for the West Sussex club after Kirsten Oudshoorn gave Loughborough an early lead.
The University of Birmingham remained in fifth place in spite of losing 2-0 at home to Wimbledon, whose scorers were Bronwyn Shields and Olivia Chilton. Wimbledon closed to within a point of Birmingham in sixth.
Clifton Robinsons moved up to ninth thanks to their 4-0 win at bottom club, Sutton Coldfield. Livvy Hoskins, Sarah-Jayne Thorburn, Evie Grindal and Rebecca Daniel all scored for the Bristol club.
Surbiton Women travel to Bowdon next weekend for a double header with Surbiton Men. Surbiton Women's match starts at 1630, with Surbiton Men's match following at 1830.