Prem Division is back

Old Georgians are looking for their fourth successive league title and made an emphatic start in their pursuit of that winning 6-1 at Bowdon where it was raining  …. goals and rain. Tom Carson gave OGs the lead in the 14^th minute and although Steven Halfhead equalised in the 32^nd, a minute later one of OGs newcomers David Condon put them back in front. In the second half, a second for Carson, two from Sam Ward and one for Alan Forsyth saw the visitors pull away.

Last season’s runners-up Surbiton were made to work hard for a 4-2 win over Oxted coming from behind to win as they did in their meeting two seasons’ ago. Oxted took an early lead through Jamie Batten and ended the scoring through Owen Williamson but in between Luke Taylor, Stuart Rushmere, Ben Park and Struan Walker netted for the home side.

Holcombe also came from behind to beat Wimbledon 5-3. Sam Hooper and Ben Francis put them two up at the start of the second quarter. Tom Russell pulled one back only for Ed Horler to make it 3-1 early in the second half. After that it was all Holcombe though with summer signings Teague Marcano, Mubashar Ali, Matthew Ramshaw and Ali Shan all on target.

There were 3-1 wins on the road for both Hampstead & Westminster and Cardiff & Met. Hampstead saw East Grinstead’s Alex Sheldon give the home team the lead before field goals from Kei Kaeppeler, Josh Kelly and Tom Crowson secured the points. Goals from Ieuan Davies and Rhys Gowman gave Cardiff and 2-0 lead at the break at Southgate. Although Charles Hamilton pulled one back, Rhodri Furlong quickly restored a two goal margin and Cardiff saw out the game for their first win over the hosts.

The Beeston – Richmond game was abandoned due to storms with the home team leading 3-0 with a quarter remaining. It’s the earliest ever weather related league postponement, England Hockey has determined the game is to be replayed.   

We will have a round-up of the other EHL Divisions on Tuesday, the Goals of the Week clips will be out on Wednesday and the EHL Premier Preview podcast, looking ahead to next Saturday’s games lands on Thursday evening.

Saturday 28^th September
Cardiff & Met v Holcombe, 18:00 hrs

Hampstead & Westminster v Beeston, 18:00 hrs

Old Georgians v Southgate, 18:00 hrs

Oxted v East Grinstead, 16:30 hrs

Richmond v Surbiton, 18:00 hrs

Wimbledon v Bowdon, 17:00 hrs

Champions Surbiton started their defence of the title with a 2-0 win at Clifton Robinsons. Their goals came from debutants Isabelle Yonge and Jordan Homann, the latter following her move from Nottingham University. East Grinstead gained some revenge for their semi-final loss last season against  runners-up Hampstead & Westminster with Summer Knight Thompsons’s first goal for the team, the only goal of the game.

Promoted Holcombe made a great start to their campaign after a season in Division One South, with a 2-1 win over Wimbledon.  All the goals came in the last quarter with Olivia Shannon giving Holcombe the lead, on 54 minutes only for former player Beth  Bingham to equalise in the 66th. However there was still time for Emma Bandurak to convert a corner with a minute left on the clock to give the Kent side all three points.   

The other promoted side, Division One North champions Sutton Coldfield had a very different day though. In 2013-14, their last season in the top flight they went down 7-0 to Beeston in the opening game, this time round it was an 8-0 defeat at Birmingham University.  Hannah Pearce led the way with a hat-trick for Birmingham, Hannah Atkinson, Lily Sokhi, Carter Ayars, Coca Hall were also on target before former Sutton player, Sarah Parkinson-Mills, completed the rout in the last minute.

Captain Maddie Axford’s corner conversion with 10 minutes left was enough to give Nottingham University a 1-0 win over Bowdon and in another tight game Reading won at Loughborough Students. In a busy second quarter Loughborough’s  Samantha McCrory cancelled our Emma McKenzie Findlay’s opener but Mia Moore gave Reading the advantage again which they held onto until the final whistle.   

We will have a round-up of the other EHL Divisions on Tuesday, the Goals of the Week clips will be out on Wednesday and the EHL Premier Preview podcast, looking ahead to next Saturday’s games lands on Thursday evening.

Saturday 28^th September
Bowdon v Holcombe, 13:30 hrs

Hampstead & Westminster v Birmingham University, 16:00 hrs

Reading v Clifton Robinsons, 12:30 hrs

Surbiton v  Nottingham University, 1500 hrs

Sutton Coldfield v East Grinstead, 12:00 hrs

Wimbledon v Loughborough Students, 13:30 hrs