W1 Held To 0-0 Draw By Wimbledon
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women were frustrated as they were held to a goalless draw by Wimbledon on Saturday night, giving rivals Hampstead & Westminster a two point advantage at the top of the Women's Hockey League Premier Division table, a week before the top two meet at Paddington Recreation Ground.
Surbiton had the opportunity to break the deadlock in the 25th minute when they were awarded a penalty stroke following their fifth penalty corner, but Wimbledon's goalkeeper, Jessica Buchanan saved Amy Costello's stroke to preserve her fifth clean sheet of the season, whilst Surbiton's Ayeisha McFerran collected her third clean sheet of the campaign at Sugden Road.
The stalemate was Wimbledon's second goalless draw of the season after a 0-0 draw at home to Loughborough, but for Surbiton it was their first goalless draw since September 2020 when they drew at Loughborough and their first goalless draw at home since March 2019 when Slough provided the opposition.
Wimbledon included former Surbiton players Olivia Chilton and Hannah French in their squad as the visitors' defence had to defend four penalty corners in the first six minutes, the first award coming after just 60 seconds.
Wimbledon had their first penalty corner opportunity in the twelfth minute, but the first quarter ended goalless as both teams largely cancelled each other out with defences on top.
Surbiton's players were marked tightly hindering their ability to create scoring chances, but Erica Sanders had two chances towards the end of the second quarter, the first going high over the crossbar and the second going agonisingly past the left post.
Surbiton are yet to concede a goal in the first half after eight matches this season, and to keep the record intact they had to defend Wimbledon's second penalty corner of the match in added on time at the end of the second quarter.
In the second half, Buchanan made a superb glove save to deny Katie Curtis but in spite of the hosts' efforts, the ball didn't run for them with passes to empty spaces, players losing control of the ball and having to backtrack, deflected shots going the wrong side of the post and the ball going across the goal and evading the Surbiton forwards.
Wimbledon defended two penalty corners late in the fourth quarter to come away with a vital point for them in their quest to qualify for the Top Six in Stage 2.
Hampstead returned to the top of the table for the first time since 11 October with a convincing 6-0 win at the University of Nottingham. Lucy Hyams scored twice after Lauren Hunt and Holly Hunt gave the visitors a 2-0 lead after just ten minutes. Esme Burge and Rose Tynan also scored.
East Grinstead closed to within one point of Surbiton in third place as Sally Sime and Alex Malzer ensured they came back from Bowdon with all three points courtesy of a 2-0 win in Altrincham.
Reigning champions Reading lost ground after they lost 2-1 at Loughborough Students. Emma Findlay gave the Berkshire club a second minute lead, but Loughborough fought back through Amy Birch and Lily Beer to narrow the gap between themselves and the University of Birmingham to one point.
Birmingham were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Clifton Robinsons, Coca Hall scoring in the third minute for the students, Evie Grindal equalising four minutes from time as the Bristol club earned their first point of the season.
The two promoted clubs met in the early match at Durham University and it was Durham who prevailed with a 6-2 victory. Lizzy Pocknell and Helena Youmans both notched braces with Ava Findlay and Katie Birch helping to earn Durham's third win of the season. Megan Lewis-Williams and Aleesa Ferguson replied for Barnes, who stay tenth and out of the relegation zone on goal difference above the University of Nottingham.
Surbiton's match at Hampstead next Saturday starts at 1400.