A Battle Of The Top Two Will Kick Off The Return Of The Men’s Premier Division

A battle of the top two will kick off the return of the Men’s Premier Division, reports Rod Gilmour of The Hockey Paper

Over the next six weekends, Premier Division teams will jostle for places in both the top and lower six divisions as the race continues for a place at Finals Weekend in April. The new league structure is also welcome news for Mike Hughes and Mark Pearn, head coaches of Old Georgians and Surbiton respectively, as they ready themselves for a heavyweight encounter in Surrey on Saturday night.

A 2-1 victory at Surbiton before the Christmas break saw Old Georgians stretch their unbeaten run to five over their title rivals. This weekend, both sides are set to be at full strength, with Hughes admitting that he will have the “strongest 16 I have ever put out” in five years at Old Georgians, ahead of a season run-in he is a strong advocate of.

Hughes said: “It’s nice that the winner of this part is rewarded with a Euro Hockey League (EHL) spot. It means that the league means something, but we also have to be playing play-off hockey. 

“Looking back at our amazing indoor season, we learnt a huge amount. Yes it was about doing well in the league, we finished top but we need to win those big games. The outdoor play-offs are exciting and important for English hockey and should work well.

“There has also only been positive communication regarding the players. They have put it together that the priority is domestic hockey. Long may this continue.”

Meanwhile Pearn believes that the league structure will bring added intensity and meaning to matches at the back-end of the season, which will only help the club and international game.

The Surbiton coach said: “Having not had it last year makes you think how important they are. I’ve always been at clubs where we’ve been there or thereabouts at the top of the league. 

“As players, you want those one-off games. It’s a great opportunity to peak at the right time. If you look at England, and being able to support and recreate those important games, we hope the structure will bring that back.

“I really like it, give it a few years to bed in and there is a lot to play for throughout. Not necessarily for these next five games but the two phases after that is where it will count.”

Surbiton will be looking to turn the tables on Old Georgians as they aim to regain the league championship title they last won before Covid and Old Georgian's first success.

“It doesn’t feel like a massive game at the moment as we’ve not had domestic hockey outdoors for a while,” admitted Pearn ahead of the weekend blockbuster. “It’s been a while since we’ve beaten them after not losing to them. For us it's a case of getting that victory and getting that monkey off our back.

“We had a really good game with them before Christmas and were unlucky not to get anything out of it so we are keen to put a complete performance together and get a good result.”

Old Georgians outplayed Surbiton in the first half in November before Surbiton came back the stronger of the two sides in a match Hughes said his side had to “dig deep” and hold on to victory.

Old Georgians have played friendly games against Teddington and Reading as they gear up for the Premier Division resumption, while the match will welcome back a raft of World Cup stars from England and Wales across the two sides.

“I’ve always been aware of life outside hockey but the fact they came and trained last week before they went away shows how keen they are to play,” Pearn said of his international cohort.

“James [Mazarelo] got off the plane last Tuesday and played with us and is desperate to get back on the pitch. We feel we are in a good place and the guys are excited for this part of the season.”

Both Hughes and Pearn were also keen watchers of the recently-concluded men’s World Cup in India, with the former believing that the current England has “real potential” to grow as a squad.

“They have a gold medal match in them,” Hughes said. “Look at the behaviour of the group and what Revs [coach Paul Revington] and his assistants have done.

“I was super proud to be an England fan and support these guys. They will have their time. Whether they can outdo that 2009 group [which won the EuroHockey Championships], only time will tell.”

Pearn added: “It was an interesting tournament and a sense that the cream rose to the top again. Within those matches, a lot of teams have got closer to the top four and England were unlucky.”

Saturday: Old Georgians v Surbiton, 6pm