Premier Division Review - 5th April

Oxted produced a shock result in the Mens Play-offs Pool B drawing at Holcombe and winning the shootout for a bonus point. Only seven days previously Oxted lost 5-0 to their hosts but secured a fine 2-2 draw on Saturday. Oxted goals from Ollie Bennett and Chris Porter were twice cancelled out by Teague Marcano and Alex Pendle. The game was goalless in the last 30 minutes and in the subsequent shootout it was 2-2 after five each before Oxted clinched it 3-2. The other game in Pool B went to form with Surbiton beating Beeston 3-0 thanks to goals from Max Anderson, Stuart Rushmere and Jacob Smith. Beeston’s Henry Croft failed to find the net for only the second game this season. 
 
In Pool A Old Georgians returned to winning ways with a 6-1 defeat of East Grinstead.  James Carson, Sam Ward (2) and Alan Forsyth gave them a 4-0 half time lead and Tom Carson added two more before Simon Faulkner’s consolation corner on full time. Wimbledon also won by a five goal margin, beating Hampstead & Westminster 5-0. Goals came from a brace each for Duncan Scott and Ben Francis plus one for Euan Gilmour. Hampstead have now only won once since the break. 
 
In the Relegation Pool Richmond’s demotion was confirmed with a 4-3 loss at Southgate. It was a tight game level at 2-2 going into the last 10 minutes when goals for Hugh Page and Alistair Douglas put Southgate 4-2 up. Although Hamish Imrie pulled one back with three minutes to go Richmond couldn’t find an equaliser.  It was an important win for Southgate as it keeps them six points clear of Bowdon. Bowdon beat Cardiff & Met 3-2 in another game that was 2-2 going into the last 10. Carlos Dolado-Hollyman hit a 69^th minute winner for Bowdon but their joy will have been tempered by the Southgate result, and the London side hold a greatly superior goal difference.  
 
TOP SCORERS 

Sam Ward (Old Georgians) 34 

Henry Croft (Beeston) 20 

Struan Walker (Surbiton) 20 

Teague Marcano (Holcombe) 19 

Tom Carson (Old Georgians) 17 

Alan Forsyth (Old Georgians) 15 

Archie Foster (Southgate) 12 

Matt Guise-Brown (Hampstead & Westminster) 11 

Matt Ramshaw (Holcombe) 10 

Ioan Wall (Cardiff & Met) 10 

CLEAN SHEETS 

Ore Ogunlana (Wimbledon) 5 

James Mazarelo (Surbiton) 4 

Simon Hujwan (Beeston) 2 

Oliver Payne (Holcombe) 2 

Mark Philpot (Cardiff & Met) 2 

George Pinner (Old Georgians) 2 

Toby Reynolds-Cotterill (Hampstead & Westminster) 2 

Hampstead & Westminster followed up their top place in the stage 2 with a 2-0 win over Bowdon in the first round of games in Pool A of the play-offs. Sisters Lauren and Holly Hunt scored the goals, against a club where they both played earlier in their careers.  East Grinstead defeated Wimbledon by the same scoreline with Biba Mills  netting both of EG’s goals. 
 
In Pool B Surbiton made a good start to the play-offs with a 6-1 win against Clifton Robinsons. Sophie Hamilton, Meg Dowthwaite, Alice Wills (2), Darcy Bourne and Eloise Stenner were on target for Surbiton, Evie Grindal pulled a goal back at 4-0 for Clifton. The other game was tighter with Reading beating Loughborough Students 4-2. Jessica Dyson gave Loughborough an early lead but goals from Mia Moore, Caroline Spence and Emma McKenzie Findlay put Reading in control. Beth Alexander pulled one back with two minutes to go but Jemima Copeman restored the two-goal margin with a corner on full time. 
 
In the relegation pool Holcombe’s return to Division One was confirmed after a 6-0 loss at Birmingham University. Coca Hall scored a hat-trick for Birmingham and Ruth Spavin two. Sutton Coldfield’s relegation was confirmed earlier and they went down 5-1 at Nottingham University. 
 
TOP SCORERS 

Biba Mills (East Grinstead) 15 

Darcy Bourne (Surbiton) 13 

Becky Manton (Wimbledon) 11 

Mia Moore (Reading) 11 

Lucy Hyams (Hampstead & Westminster) 10 

Maddie Axford (University of Nottingham) 9 

Ellie Mackenzie (Surbiton) 9 
 

CLEAN SHEETS 

Miriam Pritchard (Hampstead & Westminster) 6 

Mila Welch (East Grinstead) 5 

Evie Wood (University of Birmingham) 5 

Amber Walton (Surbiton) 4 

Jessica Buchanan (Wimbledon) 3 

Nicola Cochrane (Reading) 3 

Aline de Visser (Clifton Robinsons) 3