W1 Face Key Day On Sunday To Reach Super Sixes Finals
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women are one of five teams chasing a Top Four finish to qualify from the Super Sixes Premier Division to Finals Day at Derby Arena on 26 January.
Surbiton go into the final day of qualification at Repton in second place on 14 points, but are due to face leaders East Grinstead in their first match at 1200 on Sunday before facing Slough at 1500 as they aim to reach the last four for the second season running.
Buckingham and Holcombe are both a point behind Surbiton on 13 points with Sutton Coldfield in fifth place on 12, but with Buckingham, Sutton Coldfield and Holcombe all due to meet each other in a three game triangle of fixtures, Surbiton can be optimistic.
Surbiton started the second weekend with a rematch of last season's semi-final against Buckingham and Sally Walton, who was injured during last season's knockout encounter, showed what Buckingham missed as she scored twice to earn Buckingham a 3-3 draw.
Surbiton led 2-0 after 8 minutes, Erica Sanders opening the scoring in the first minute and Maelona Rees doubling the lead, from a penalty corner and open play respectively.
Walton warned Surbiton as to what they could expect with a penalty corner at the end of the first quarter and by the 25th minute, Buckingham were on level terms courtesy of Walton's second penalty corner of the match.
Jordan Homann restored Surbiton's lead on the half hour, but Maddy Newlyn earned Buckingham a point with eight minutes remaining.
Walton finished the third day on nine goals for the tournament, all nine goals coming from penalty corners.
The Surrey derby against Guildford proved to be a goalfest with Surbiton winning 8-4.
Surbiton stormed into a 5-0 half time lead, Josie Hippe scoring a first half hat-trick with goals in the fifth, sixth and 20th minutes after Sanders struck in the third minute and Homann scored in the ninth minute.
Sanders scored Surbiton's sixth goal two minutes into the third quarter before Guildford fought back with three third quarter goals to go into the last period 6-3 down.
Kerryn Swanepoel pulled a goal back from open play in the 25th minute, Robyn Bentley scored from a penalty corner two minutes later and Elena Emo gave Guildford further hope with a 29th minute penalty stroke.
Sanders broke the sequence at the start of the fourth quarter to make the score 7-3, but after Amelie Green scored Guildford's fourth goal in the last minute, Sanders added Surbiton's eighth goal before time ran out to complete a 8-4 victory.
Sanders is on 16 goals and will face East Grinstead's Biba Mills on Sunday, Mills having scored 14 goals over the first three days of competition.
More information about the Women's Premier Division can be found at the England Hockey Altius website here.