Clifton Robinsons & Wimbledon Vying For A Top Four Place At Finals Weekend

Rod Gilmour of The Hockey Paper reports on two clubs vying for a top four place at Finals Weekend in the Vitality Women’s Premier Division

Wimbledon have seen three iterations of the league since they secured promotion to the Vitality Women’s Premier Division in 2020. There was a Covid-blighted season, followed by a straight race for the title and now a Finals Weekend to focus on. It is a measure of how far they have come in those 38 games that have chased a European spot for much of their time already in the top flight.

Wimbledon lost their first game of the season last weekend against Surbiton and head to Clifton Robinsons for back-to-back away games on Saturday in England Hockey’s match of the weekend as Phase Two continues.

“We have had a big team meeting about the pros and cons of this second phase,” said Wimbledon’s Suzy Petty. “Playing five top quality matches is fun and very beneficial for all of us, the match last weekend against Surbiton proved this. 

“It is an interesting concept due to us all definitely being in the next phase [the league having split into two], and there have been questions on whether we start preparing for those games now or just have a ‘one game at a time’ attitude. 

“We know that all pool games will be tough and incredibly tight, so we are not thinking strategically about where we want to finish in this second phase. Obviously our aim is to make the Finals Weekend and fight for a place in Europe, but there are still a number of games to go before that.”

Wimbledon currently sit in second place, eight points behind leaders Surbiton and one ahead of Hampstead & Westminster and East Grinstead. 

“It is all very tight and within both pools, you will have three other good teams, so actually there isn’t a huge emphasis on wanting to finish in a certain position,” added Petty. “We are just wanting to improve each game, learn from our mistakes and get better as a team, so when we do come to the crucial must-win games, we are at our best. Obviously we are all very competitive, so we will be going out to win each game.”

Clifton will host Wimbledon after a trip to the capital and a morale-boosting 2-2 draw with H&W last weekend. It proved a marked turnaround from their November visit when they lost 5-1 to the Londoners.

“I was really pleased with the performance,” said Clifton coach Juliet Rayden. “We were well beaten and didn’t perform consistently well [in November]. We had to turn up a bit better, be harder to play and to deny them space. The challenge for us now is consistency. We relish the challenge like last year and we know that Wimbledon will be keen to get a win after last weekend.”

Clifton have carried a trimmed squad post Christmas, while Rayden debuted 16-year-old Caitlin Witham against H&W, and she will now play her first home game against Wimbledon. Following another Clifton teen in Clemmie Holden, 17, Withan has played 2s hockey and trained with 1s throughout the last four months. 

“It’s something we try to do at Clifton as much as we can,” said Rayden of their youth philosophy. “It’s a balance in how they conduct themselves off the pitch and it’s a lot more about the hockey, but it’s really pleasing to see when they break through.”

In a week where Surbiton was revealed as host of the season-ending Finals Weekend in April, both Petty and Rayden admitted that bringing the Play-Offs back to clubs was a boost for the game.

Petty said: “I think having it at clubs is brilliant for Surbiton and hopefully they will get more people to come and watch. All being well it will make it cheaper for entry, food, and drink prices. 

“There will hopefully be a buzz due to the venues being smaller than say Lee Valley, however having it on a weekend where there are still a lot of other hockey fixtures could impact this. If they can make it like the Y1 tournament, with music, BBQs and a weekend party, it could really start to make this a weekend that everyone wants to be part of year on year.”

Meanwhile, Rayden said that the league structure was an improvement on last season. “We’ve got more competitive games and there is something to aim for,” she said. “It’s early days but it feels different this time.

“A venue where there is an atmosphere is great, like we’ve seen at Reading in the past and now Surbiton will no doubt provide. Unless you really fill it you can’t generate that atmosphere.”

Saturday: Clifton Robinsons v Wimbledon, 12pm