W1 Beat Clifton Robinsons 6-1

Surbiton Women made the perfect start in their quest for qualification for the finals weekend at Nottingham Hockey Centre on 3/ 4 May by beating Clifton Robinsons 6-1 at Sugden Road on Saturday afternoon.

Surbiton are top of League Finals Pool B on goal difference from Reading, 4-2 winners at home to Loughborough Students.

The game v Clifton Robinsons can be watched back via the Surbiton Hockey Club channel on You Tube here.

Surbiton's first match since British Summer Time came into effect last weekend was played in warm and sunny conditions, with Clifton goalkeeper Aline De Visser needing to kick the ball out of the circle in the first minute.

Clifton's Jade Vardon-Cardy was also called upon to defend in the early minutes, but Surbiton had to wait until the 13th minute to take the lead, Sophie Hamilton smashing the ball home to score Surbiton's 50th goal of the season.

Ellie Mackenzie was unlucky not to make contact with the ball late in the first quarter and former Surbiton player Holly Munro broke up an attack involving Alice Wills and Alice Sharp shortly before the first interval.

Surbiton had to wait until the 30th minute to double their lead, Martha Taylor crossing from the right for Meg Dowthwaite to touch the ball over the line.

Darcy Bourne forced a save from De Visser early in the third quarter, but there was nothing De Visser could do when she was beaten twice in three minutes by Wills.

Surbiton's third goal came in the 41st minute, Giselle Ansley's penetrating pass finding Izzy Petter on the right before Wills scored.

Clifton had successfully defended five penalty corners, but number six proved decisive, Wills deflecting Stenner's shot to give Surbiton a 4-0 lead in the 44th minute.

But to their credit, Clifton earned a penalty corner of their own and took full advantage, Evie Grindal scoring with a superb effort from the edge of the circle in the 47th minute.

At this point, Surbiton were on course for a third successive 4-1 home win over the Bristol club, having won both meetings at Sugden Road by that score, but in the 58th minute, Surbiton were awarded a penalty stroke for a Clifton tackle, Bourne sending the ball into the top left corner to score Surbiton's fifth goal of the match.

The final goal came in the penultimate minute, Stenner converting Surbiton's seventh penalty corner without the need of a deflection to make the final score 6-1.

The other match in Pool B saw Loughborough take the lead through former Surbiton player, Jess Dyson, only for Mia Moore, Caroline Spence and Emma McKenzie Findlay to earn Reading a 3-1 lead. Beth Alexander scored from the the penalty spot with two minutes remaining, but Jemima Copeman ended any last minute hopes of a Loughborough comeback with a penalty corner conversion.

Both games in Pool A ended as 2-0 home wins. Hampstead & Westminster beat Bowdon 2-0, Lauren Hunt scoring Hampstead's first and Holly Hunt sealing the win with a penalty stroke and to complete a grand slam of penalty strokes, Biba Mills gave East Grinstead the lead from the spot and added a second goal from open play with four minutes remaining to complete the West Sussex club's win.

In the Premier Division relegation playoffs, Holcombe's return to Division One was confirmed after they lost 6-0 to the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham beat Sutton Coldfield 5-1.

Coca Hall scored a hat-trick, Ruby Spavin netted a brace and Betsan Thomas also scored for the University of Birmingham, all six goals coming from open play.

The University of Nottingham led already relegated Sutton Coldfield 3-0 at half time, Monica Watkins, Holly Nixon and Camila Giglio scoring. Freya Robinson and Matilda O'Dea extended the students' lead to 5-0 before Sophie Manning had the last word for Sutton Coldfield.

Surbiton will meet Loughborough Students next Saturday (12 April) push back 1530.