Preview and highlights: Men's Hockey League

To see full fixtures, results and tables from across the country, click here.

Some statistics in the below previews were compiled using the help of Colin Pike/Hockey World News' media guide.

After beating Surbiton 3-0 at home last weekend, Holcombe are now focusing their sights on Men’s Premier Division table-toppers Old Georgians. On Sunday Julian Halls' side travel to take on a team who have won eight on the bounce. The two sides met in Kent last October when Old Georgians came away with a 2-1 win.

The only previous encounter at Weybridge, in 2019, finished in a 3-3 draw, while Old Georgians are currently unbeaten in 13 matches at home.

With three defeats in their last four, East Grinstead's bid for Europe has now ended as they prepare for the visit of Hampstead & Westminster.

The Londoners have also lost three of their last four, while last weekend saw them record successive defeats for the first time in 39 matches. Hampstead & Westminster coach Kwan Browne is calling for consistency with six games left in the season, despite being seven players short.

“It will be tight, with the extra emotions of playing under the lights on Saturday night,” said Browne.

Browne hasn’t put out the same team twice this season, unlike their title-winning year when they were able to field a consistent side.

“We just haven’t had the same flow, and connections take a little bit longer this season,” added Browne. “It’s like a play-off now with no choice but for us to win - and it may make a difference for us.”

They are still in the hunt for a European berth, Holcombe and H&W are five points behind second-placed Wimbledon, with the top 6 set to meet each other again before the season's conclusion.

With Old Georgians firm favourites to land a first Men's Premier Division league title, Wimbledon and Surbiton continue to jostle for that all-important second European place.

The two rivals meet at Raynes Park under the lights on Saturday night, with Mark Pearn's Surbiton having won on their last three visits to Wimbledon. A fourth in a row would bring them level on points with their opponents.

Sat 12 Mar
East Grinstead v Hampstead & Westminster 6pm
Wimbledon v Surbiton 6pm

Sun 13 Mar
Old Georgians v Holcombe 2pm

If University of Exeter are to avoid relegation to Division 1 they will look back at last weekend's superb result on the road as the catalyst.

Exeter's 9-0 dismantling of Durham University was their first Premier Division win since early 2020 and their first clean sheet in the top flight since September 2019.

This weekend they face a home clash against Brooklands Manchester University, the team they last beat in the league, as the Bottom 5 potentially shapes up for a thrilling finale.

With bottom side Exeter now sitting six points off Brooklands MU - the two sides meet again on the last day of the season - Sunday's pushback is set for an enthralling battle. 

Meanwhile, the top two in the Bottom 5 split league both face each other.  Hosts Oxted and opponents Beeston are unbeaten in three, with the former looking to overturn a 3-1 defeat when the two sides last met in Nottingham in October.

Second from bottom Durham University, who have suffered four defeats in a row, have a weekend off. They play Exeter next Sunday.

Sun 13 Mar
University of Exeter v Brooklands Manchester University 2pm
Oxted v Beeston 2pm

Four games left in the season and there's little sign of respite at the top of Division 1 North as the match of the season looms this Sunday.

Loughborough Students top the standings by a solitary point from University of Nottingham ahead of a 2pm push back, after both sides also reached the BUCS Big Wednesday final this week.

Loughborough enter the game as the only unbeaten team and have amassed 22 goals in their last three matches. The threat will likely come from Loughborough's Stuart Rushmere, who made his England senior debut last month, thanks to his seven goals in his last six starts.

Nottingham's Archie Foster has scored in five of his last seven games. They are also unbeaten away from home, their only blip of the campaign coming in their 4-0 home defeat to Loughborough last October.

At the bottom, both Sheffield Hallam and City of Peterborough won last weekend and will continue their bid to rise up from the relegation zone with away trips.

Sun 13 Mar
Olton & West Warwickshire v City of Peterborough 12pm
Deeside Ramblers v Cardiff & Met 1:30pm
Loughborough Students v University of Nottingham 2pm
Bowdon v Cambridge City 2:30pm
University of Birmingham v Sheffield Hallam 2:30pm

Both Reading and Canterbury won on the road last weekend, which left the top of Division 1 South unchanged.

However, Reading's 6-3 victory over in-form Old Cranleighan did stop a run of three straight defeats, as well as keeping them top on goal difference from their Kent rivals.

Reading travel to Sevenoaks aiming for a second away win in a row and the season double after scoring a 2-0 win at home back in October. 

Second-placed Canterbury, unbeaten since 5 February, now head to Old Cranleighan and could briefly go top with their Saturday push back.

In order to avoid relegation, bottom side Havant need to win and hope that Oxford Hawks lose at home to Teddington. Any other set of results would see them relegated.

Sat 12 Mar
Canterbury v Old Cranleighan 6pm

Sun 13 Mar
Brighton & Hove v Team Bath Buccaneers 1pm
Havant v Southgate 2pm
Oxford Hawks v Teddington 2pm
Sevenoaks v Reading 2pm

The five-point gap at the top remains in place for Old Loughtonians after a hat-trick of wins, matched by rivals Richmond.

Old Loughts, unbeaten in five games since November, play a home fixture against Indian Gymkhana, who are chasing a third win in a row.

Richmond, with their leading scorer Jordan Hussell in the ranks, host London Wayfarers in the weekend's first match.

All the bottom three sides lost last weekend. West Herts stay four points adrift, with this Sunday's encounter against the team above them, Bromley & Beckenham, a match which could define their season. 

Sat 12 Mar
Richmond v London Wayfarers 12:45pm
Spencer v London Edwardians 1:30pm
Wapping v Hampstead & Westminster 2 6pm

Sun 13 Mar
Bromley & Beckenham v West Herts 2pm
Old Loughtonians v Indian Gymkhana 2:30pm

Barford Tigers remain three points clear at the top of Conference Midlands, with four matches left in the season.

Both Barford and second-placed Harborne face away tests on Sunday, the Tigers taking on fourth-placed Lichfield and Santi Binaghi one strike shy of netting his 30th goal of the season.

It's a battle between these two teams for promotion now, while there is still time for Khalsa Leamington, who prop up the division, to find some kind of form. 

Khalsa's only win this season came at home in October (3-2 v University of Birmingham 2) while they have leaked 22 goals in four games since.

Sat 12 Mar
St Albans v Harleston Magpies 4:30pm
Bedford v Loughborough Town 5pm

Sun 13 Mar
University of Birmingham 2 v Harborne 12:30pm
Khalsa Leamington v Cambridge University 1:30pm
Lichfield v Barford Tigers 3pm

Connor Miller's four goals last weekend took his tally to 23 for the season and Timperley will hope he can continue his assault against Durham University 2.

Timperley remain four points behind leaders Belper, who are unbeaten since losing to Doncaster at home in mid-November. 

It remains a tight affair at the bottom thanks to Beeston 2's key win last weekend, as Durham University 2 and Alderley Edge both lost.

Beeston 2 head to Wakefield, who are finding their form after three victories in four.

Sat 12 Mar
Durham University 2 v Timperley 6pm
Leeds v Alderley Edge 6pm

Sun 13 Mar
Didsbury Northern v Doncaster 12:30pm
Preston v Belper 1:30pm
Wakefield v Beeston 2 3:30pm

Ashmoor will have to overcome one of the Conference West's in-form teams, Chichester, if they are to keep up the pressure at the top.

Chichester, who beat leaders University of Bristol last month, last lost in November, while Ashmoor are chasing a third win on the bounce.

Bristol, who hold a three-point lead at the top, are aiming for a fourth win in succession since that defeat. They play under the Friday Night Lights at home in a local derby against Clifton Robinsons.

The bottom three sides all lost last time out, meaning no change and Cheltenham languishing six points from safety.

Fri 11 Mar
University of Bristol v Clifton Robinsons 7:30pm

Sun 13 Mar
University of Exeter 2 v Plymouth Marjon 12pm
Ashmoor v Chichester 1pm
Fareham v Cheltenham 1:30pm
Cardiff University v Isca 2pm