EHL Hockey League Week 14 2023 Matchday Review

The Vitality Women's Hockey League Premier Division treated fans to a thrilling double-header over the weekend, with twelve matches spread across Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, the action kicked off with Clifton Robinsons taking on Surbiton, with Surbiton emerging victorious with a 2-1 win. Meg Dowthwaite opened the scoring for Surbiton in the eighth minute. Livvy Hoskins scored a penalty corner in the 48th minute for Clifton Robinsons to equalize, but Giselle Ansley scored the winner from a penalty corner for Surbiton in the 66th minute.

Wimbledon secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Beeston, thanks to goals from Olivia Chilton in the 57th minute and Fiona Burnet in the 62nd minute. Hannah Grieve scored a late goal from a penalty corner for Beeston in the 67th minute, but it was too little too late.

Hampstead & Westminster managed to edge East Grinstead in a tight contest, winning 3-2. Joie Lee opened the scoring for Hampstead & Westminster from a penalty corner in the 21st minute, followed by Grace Balsdon in the 23rd minute and Sarah Robertson in the 35th minute. Anna Faulstich scored both goals for East Grinstead

Buckingham secured a narrow 2-1 win over Loughborough Students, with Maddy Newlyn scoring in the 33rd minute and Natasha James in the 42nd minute. Lorna Mackenzie scored a consolation goal for Loughborough Students from a penalty corner in the 46th minute.

The University of Birmingham managed to clinch a tight 1-0 win over Holcombe, with Carter Ayars scoring from a penalty corner in the 25th minute.

The University of Nottingham secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory away from home against Reading. After taking an early lead through Jordan Homann's goal in the 13th minute, Nottingham found themselves pegged back by a penalty corner converted by Abbie Dixon in the 40th minute. The game was evenly contested, with both teams searching for the winner, but it was Nottingham who came out on top thanks to a crucial goal from Maddie Axford in the 66th minute. Nottingham's defence held firm and saw out the remainder of the match to secure an important victory.

On Sunday, Surbiton secured top spot in Phase 2 with a convincing 4-1 win over Beeston, an early goal from Lauren Burrell in the eighth minute for Beeston, before a Surbiton second half come back with goals from Sophie Hamilton in the 38th minute, Leah Wilkinson from a penalty corner in the 44th, Izzy Petter in the 48th, and Hannah Martin from a penalty corner in the 59th minute.

Wimbledon and Hampstead & Westminster played out a goalless draw, while East Grinstead and Clifton Robinsons ended in a 2-2 stalemate. Livvy Hoskins opened the scoring for Clifton Robinsons from a penalty corner in the 31st minute, while Holly Munro added a second goal from a penalty corner in the 53rd minute. Laura Unsworth and Amelia Tait scored for East Grinstead*.

Buckingham managed to secure their second win of the weekend with a convincing 2-0 victory over Reading, with goals from Maddy Newlyn in the 11th minute and Caroline Spence in the 40th minute. Meanwhile, Loughborough Students and the University of Birmingham played out a 1-1 draw, with Lorna Mackenzie scoring from a penalty corner in the 65th minute for Loughborough Students after Emma Allroggen had scored a penalty corner of her own in the 10th minute for the University of Birmingham.

The University of Nottingham put on a dominant display, securing a 6-1 victory over Holcombe. Maddie Long opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a well-taken goal. However, Emma Bandurak equalized for Holcombe from a penalty corner in the 34th minute.

The University of Nottingham quickly regained their lead with goals from Maddie Axford in the 36th and 38th minutes, followed by a well-placed shot from Merle Knobloch in the 42nd minute. Maddie Long added her second goal of the match in the 46th minute, further extending the University of Nottingham's lead. Eliza Wheeler sealed the deal for the University of Nottingham with a goal in the 65th minute, rounding off a comprehensive win.

The England Hockey League Men's Premier Division experienced an action-packed weekend with double headers on both Saturday and Sunday. It was a crucial weekend, with teams fighting hard for their position on the league table.

On Saturday, Old Georgians played against Hampstead & Westminster, who put up a strong fight. However, it was Old Georgians who emerged victorious with a 2-1 win. Sam Ward opened the scoring for Old Georgians in the 26th minute, which was cancelled out by Hampstead & Westminster's Sam French, who scored from a penalty corner in the 29th minute. But Old Georgians took the lead again with another goal from Sam Ward in the 51st minute.

Surbiton faced Wimbledon in a thrilling game, with Surbiton taking the win with a 2-1 scoreline. David Goodfield scored from a penalty corner for Surbiton in the 12th minute, which was soon cancelled out by a penalty corner from Wimbledon's Ed Horler in the 22nd minute. However, Nick Park secured the win for Surbiton with a goal in the 57th minute.

Holcombe put on an impressive performance in their match against Reading on Saturday, securing a comprehensive 6-0 victory. The team's domination began early on in the game, with Tim Guise-Brown scoring their first goal in the 6th minute via a penalty corner. Holcombe continued to pile on the pressure, with Rob Field scoring in the 7th minute, Mo Mea in the 10th minute, while Tim Guise-Brown scoring his second of the match in the 20th minute from a penalty corner to give his side a commanding half time lead. Nick Bandurak continued the scoring in the second half with a 38th minute strike, before Tom Russell added a sixth goal in the 51st, helping Holcombe to seal their commanding win.

In the match between Beeston and Oxted, the latter emerged victorious with a 2-1 win. Oxted's Jonny Lankfer opened the scoring with a goal in the 11th minute, while Alex Blumfield scored the team's second goal in the 32nd minute. Beeston's Robbie Gleeson managed to score a goal via a penalty corner in the 35th minute, but it wasn't enough to pullk his team back into the match. Oxted put up a strong defence to keep Beeston at bay and secure their hard-earned victory.

The University of Exeter faced East Grinstead in another tightly contested match, but the University of Exeter emerged victorious with a 3-1 win. Nick Nurse opened the scoring for Exeter in the 30th minute, which was followed by goals from Jacob Payton (52nd minute) and Louis Ridge (67th minute). East Grinstead managed to score one goal through Charles Taylor, who converted a penalty corner in the 41st minute.

On Sunday, Surbiton continued their winning streak with a 2-0 win against Hampstead & Westminster. Luke Taylor scored from a penalty corner in the 12th minute, followed by a goal from James Gall in the 21st minute.

Wimbledon put in a dominant performance against Reading, winning the match 4-0. Ed Horler scored from a penalty stroke in the 7th minute, followed by goals from Jack Waller (54th minute), Ben Francis (55th minute), and Jonny Sturch-Hibbett (61st minute).

In a highly anticipated match, Old Georgians played against Holcombe, with Old Georgians coming out on top with a 3-0 win. Sam Ward scored from a penalty corner in the 6th minute, followed by a goal from Chris Proctor in the 21st minute. Henry Weir sealed the win for Old Georgians with a goal from a penalty corner in the 62nd minute.

Beeston continued their impressive form with a 2-1 victory against the University of Nottingham. Jamie Golden scored from a penalty corner in the 13th minute, followed by a goal from Sam Apoola in the 30th minute. The University of Nottingham managed to score one goal through Charlie Axford in the 28th minute.

The match between Oxted and the University of Exeter was a closely contested battle, with both teams displaying a high level of skill and determination. Oxted took an early lead with a goal from Bradley Sherwood, but the University of Exeter responded quickly with a goal from Jacob Payton to level the score. Both teams continued to create chances, but it was Oxted who managed to score again, with Matthew Crookshanks and Matt Barnett finding the back of the net. The University of Exeter continued to push forward and scored another goal through Jacob Payton, but it wasn't enough to secure a draw. Oxted's defense held strong, and the match ended with a 3-2 win for Oxted. It was an intense and exciting match, showcasing the high level of competition and skill present in the England Hockey League Men's Premier Division.