Men's Hockey League Week 8 2022 Preview

Week 8 of the Men's Hockey League is the week we see the teams with matches in hand play double headers to restore parity across the division. Will we see a new leader in the Premier Divison, as Old Georgians and Wimbledon, both with a game in hand, trail Surbiton by three points?

Jade Bloomfield of Hockey World News looks over the Premier Division's key matches and talking points of week eight.

With the original match postponed on 2nd October, Wimbledon travel to Old Georgians on Saturday for both teams' game in hand owing to participation in the Euro Hockey League in Hamburg. With Old Georgians reaching the Premier Division in 2019-20, the teams have only previously met twice at the top-flight level at St George's College. Wimbledon spoiled Old Georgians' title celebrations on the last day of last season with a 3-2 win in Weybridge, having drawn 3-3 on their previous visit in September 2019. Old Georgians will be hoping to beat Wimbledon at home for the first time and go top of the Premier Division.

At the same time, Surbiton face Hampstead & Westminster at the Paddington Recreation Ground in a fixture with a long history in the Men's Hockey League, having first met in the 1997-98 season. Surbiton, who have won six of their last eight away games against Hampstead, need anything other than a defeat to stay top of the Premier Division, albeit for 24 hours before Old Georgians have their second chance to top the table when the University of Exeter visit Surrey.  

In the final Saturday fixture, Beeston make the long trip across the Nottingham Hockey Centre car park from Pitch 1 to Pitch 4 for the Nottingham Derby against the University of Nottingham. Level on points (7) going into the match, it's more than bragging rights on the line as the race for a top 6 finish hots up as they chase down Oxted, leading by a single point.

Oxted have a challenging task as they travel to South West London to take on Wimbledon at Reynes Park High School for the first time in the Premier Division. Being on the end of a 6-0 defeat when the sides met back in October 2021, we may see Oxted's grip on the 6th spot slip.

With Reading also trailing 6th spot by a point, they welcome East Grinstead to Sonning Lane in one of the most historic matches in the England Hockey leagues. The teams first met in the second season of the Men's Hockey League after Reading were promoted from Division Two in the league's maiden season in 1988-89, and when these two sides meet, we usually see an abundance of goals. There have been some nine-goal thrillers, with East Grinstead winning 5-4 in October 2006, Reading winning 5-4 in October 2009 and East Grinstead winning 5-4 again in September 2012; amazingly, since 1996-97, there has only been one draw at Reading, a 4-4 encounter in November 2013.

Holcombe, unbeaten at home this season, awaits Brooklands Manchester University's arrival for a Sunday lunchtime fixture. Sitting at the foot of the division, Brooklands have struggled of late, picking up just one point when they drew with the University of Exeter in October. Holcombe, on the other hand, with just one defeat in seven, are hot on the heels of the top three and within striking distance should they slip up.  

For full fixtures and league tables, visit the Men's Hockey League Section HERE