EHL Hockey League Finals & Playoffs Preview Round 1

The Vitality Women's Hockey League is set to provide fans with an exciting weekend of hockey action as the first round of league finals matches gets underway. 

In Pool A, Surbiton, who won Phase 2, will host the University of Birmingham at Sugden Road. Surbiton will aim to keep their perfect home record intact, while Birmingham will look to cause an upset and start their finals with a win.

The other Pool A match sees East Grinstead take on Beeston, with East Grinstead hoping to replicate their dominant 7-1 win from their last meeting. Meanwhile, Beeston will be determined to bounce back and get their league finals campaign off to a winning start.

In Pool B, Wimbledon will welcome the University of Nottingham to Raynes Park. Nottingham impressed in their debut season, reaching the League Finals, and they will be eager to start the league finals on a positive note. 

In the final match of the weekend, Hampstead & Westminster will go up against Clifton Robinsons at the Paddington Recreation Ground. Clifton Robinsons will be looking to secure their first away win since October 2022, while Hampstead & Westminster will be eager to begin their league finals campaign with a victory.

The Women's Relegation Playoffs will see four teams battling it out to secure their place in the top division. Loughborough Students finished 9th, with 17 points from 16 matches. They will take on Buckingham, who finished bottom place with just 9 points. Despite being the underdogs, Buckingham will be looking to cause an upset and help secure their place in the top division.

In the other match, Reading will face off against Holcombe. Both teams had a difficult season, with Reading finishing in 10th place with 15 points, while Holcombe finished 11th with 14 points. It's a must-win match for both teams.

In Pool A, Old Georgians, who were the regular season winners, will face Beeston for the second time this season. Old Georgians will be looking to continue their impressive form, having defeated Beeston 5-0 in their previous encounter in October. Beeston, on the other hand, will be hoping to cause an upset and make a statement in the League Finals.

Holcombe and Hampstead & Westminster will also face off in Pool A, with Holcombe aiming to secure their third 3-1 win in succession against their opponents. This match promises to be a closely contested affair, with both teams determined to start the League Finals on a high.

In Pool B, Reading will be hoping to break their poor form against Wimbledon when they travel to Raynes Park. Wimbledon will be looking to continue their winning run and secure their place in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Surbiton will welcome an Oxted side who are unbeaten in their last five matches, making for an intriguing encounter at Sugden Road.

In the Relegation Playoffs, East Grinstead will face Brooklands Manchester University, while the University of Exeter will take on the University of Nottingham. Both matches will be crucial in determining which teams will avoid relegation and which will be relegated to division 1.