- England Hockey Leagues
Preview: Men's Premier Division Returns With Four Teams Fighting To Be Crowned Champions
The Men's Premier Division returns this weekend with four teams set to battle all the way to the end of the season to determine who will be this year's champions.
It's incredibly close in the Vitality Women's Premier Division as well with three teams all sitting on 27 points at the top of the table following last week's results.
Rod Gilmour from The Hockey Paper previews each of the games across all of the divisions below.
To view fixtures, results and tables from across the country, click here.
Please note: Unless stated, all women's matches will take place on Saturday 12 February and all men's games on Sunday 13 February.
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Wimbledon head to league leaders East Grinstead in fine fettle as two of the Vitality Women's Premier Division in-form sides meet on Saturday.
Wimbledon accrued their fourth win on the bounce after toppling Hampstead & Westminster last weekend and Saturday's match has the hallmarks of an entertaining, attacking affair. However, the top flight will be missing England women's internationals, with the squad set to fly out to Argentina on Saturday for their FIH Hockey Pro League matches.
Last weekend's set of results in the 'Top 6' means that East Grinstead, Surbiton and Hampstead go into the weekend's action all level on points at the top of the league, with Wimbledon just four points behind.
Surbiton host Beeston while Hampstead will be looking to avert a run of two straight losses when they host Clifton Robinsons.
- Surbiton v Beeston - 13:00
- Hampstead & Westminster v Clifton Robinsons - 14:00
- East Grinstead v Wimbledon - 16:00
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The bottom tier gets under way for the first time on Saturday.
With points carried over from the first half of the season, Swansea have it all to do to avoid relegation back to Division One.
The Welsh side host Holcombe, while second from bottom Buckingham are also in action at home when they take on University of Birmingham.
- Buckingham v University of Birmingham - 12:00
- Swansea v Holcombe - 12:00
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University of Nottingham's winning form and Maddie Axford's goals have seen the students keep Bowdon Hightown at bay at the top of Division 1 North. The two rivals are separated by one point at the top in pursuit of automatic promotion, with Nottingham set to host third-placed Durham University and Bowdon on the road at Ben Rhydding.
Stourport's defeat last weekend halted their run of recent wins but will look to make further inroads at the top when they face bottom side Belper.
Olton & West Warwicks, still looking for their first win of the season, are at home to Brooklands Poynton with Leicester City at home to Gloucester City.
- Olton & West Warwicks v Brooklands Poynton - 12:00
- Ben Rhydding v Bowdon Hightown - 13:30
- Belper v Stourport - 14:00
- University of Nottingham v University of Durham - 14:00
- Leicester City v Gloucester City - 15:30
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An eagerly-anticipated Kent local derby sees leaders Sevenoaks take on in-form Canterbury in Division One South. Sevenoaks' tenure at the top is under threat after last weekend's defeat, with form team Canterbury gunning for their sixth win on the trot.
Reading are well-placed in second ahead of their encounter against Isca, the Berkshire club setting sights on both men's and women's promotion back to the Premier Division.
Cambridge City will hope to arrest their run of defeats away to Wimbledon 2s as third-placed slough host Surbiton 2s. At the bottom, Trojans take on Harleston Magpies.
- Trojans v Harleston Magpies - 12:00
- Slough v Surbiton 2s - 12:30
- Reading v Isca - 13:30
- Canterbury v Sevenoaks - 14:00
- Wimbledon 2s v Cambridge City - 14:00
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A pivotal weekend is in the offing for the Conference East, with the top four sides all meeting each other. In a battle of the top two, leaders Barnes take on Southgate - four points behind in second - at Dukes Meadow.
Meanwhile third-placed London Wayfarers host Hampstead & Westminster 2s. Horsham, whose promotion bid has stalled of late after one win in five, face bottom side Canterbury 2s.
Ipswich take on East London with the aim of returning to winning ways and eighth-placed Chelmsford take on Bromley & Beckenham, directly below them in the table.
- Barnes v Southgate - 12:00
- London Wayfarers v Hampstead & Westminster 2s - 12:30
- Horsham v Canterbury 2s - 13:30
- Chelsmford v Bromley & Beckenham - 15:00
- Ipswich v East London - 16:00
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This league has several top-of-the-table clashes to savour this weekend, including a meeting between the top two as leaders Sutton Coldfield travel to Bedford. Sutton hold a three-point lead, with both sides nursing 100% records since mid-October.
Third-placed St Albans have lost their last two and will aim to get back on track when they travel to Khalsa Leamington, currently propping up the table.
Locked together on points, Beeston 2s play host to Loughborough Students 2s while the other fixtures see Broxbourne travel to Oxford University and Cannock at home against University of Birmingham 2s.
- Khalsa Leamington v St Albans - 12:00
- Oxford University v Broxbourne - 12:30
- Bedford v Sutton Coldfield - 13:30
- Cannock v University of Birmingham 2s - 13:30
- Beeston 2s v Loughborough Students 2s - 14:00
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Leeds have hit the ground running in 2022 after two straight wins and a place at the Conference North summit. The leaders face Didsbury Northern on Saturday, while chasers University of Durham 2s are at home to Doncaster.
Timperley and Wakefield, third and fourth respectively, are also still in the promotion hunt and meet each other on Saturday afternoon.
Bottom-of-the-table Neston will be aiming to make it two wins in a row away to Alderley Edge and the other game pits third-from-bottom Fylde against Pendle Forest, who sit immediately behind them.
- University of Durham 2s v Doncaster - 12:00
- Fylde v Pendle Forest - 13:30
- Alderley Edge v Neston - 14:00
- Leeds v Didsbury Northern - 14:00
- Wakefield v Timperley - 15:30
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The jostling for top honours continues in Conference West with plenty of promotion contenders making for an exciting season thus far. Leaders Witney and Bristol Firebrands both drew last weekend, with the latter taking on third-placed Oxford Hawks in the clash of the weekend.
Witney, who hold top spot by virtue of a slender goal difference, take on Penarth in eighth place, seven points behind the leaders.
Exe can close the gap on the four teams above them with victory over University of Bristol while Clifton Robinsons 2s are aiming for a second win of the season against Basingstoke. The final game sees Team Bath Buccs at home against Cheltenham.
- Oxford Hawks v Bristol Firebrands - 12:00
- Witney v Penarth - 12:30
- Clifton Robinsons 2s v Basingstoke - 14:00
- Team Bath Buccs v Cheltenham - 14:00
- University of Bristol v Exe - 14:00
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The men's Premier Division returns with three Saturday clashes under the lights as the 'Top 6 gets under way for the first time.
With points carried over from the winter break, Holcombe and East Grinstead both open up with home encounters as they bid to bridge the gap on the top four.
East Grinstead, who squeezed into the Top 6 on the final day in November, are at home on Saturday evening against Surbiton where they will be aiming to reverse October's 6-1 defeat at Saint Hill.
Meanwhile, Surbiton will be looking to overturn a run of three without a win outdoors during a rare dip in form before the Christmas break.
Holcombe, unbeaten in five, take on newly-crowned indoor champions Wimbledon, while Premier Division leaders Old Georgians return to the fold with a home clash against Hampstead & Westminster. Wimbledon, Old Georgians and H&W have all beaten just once this season as the race to Europe begins in earnest.
- East Grinstead v Surbiton - 18:00 (Sat 12 February)
- Holcombe v Wimbledon - 18:00 (Sat 12 February)
- Old Georgians v Hampstead & Westminster - 18:00 (Sat 12 February)
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In the bottom tier of the Men's Premier Division, University of Exeter will need to hit the ground running on the opening matchday weekend as they bid to avoid relegation.
Exeter don't start until next weekend, while second from bottom Brooklands MU could make early inroads on those above them - the bottom two sides are automatically relegated this season - with victory over Beeston.
Oxted and University of Durham also meet on Saturday afternoon.
- Brooklands MU v Beeston - 13:30 (Sat 12 February)
- Oxted v University of Durham - 15:00 (Sat 12 February)
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In-form Loughborough Students maintained their slender advantage at the top of Division One North last time out as they head to winless Sheffield Hallam this weekend. The Students are still unbeaten this season with University of Nottingham, who face Deeside Ramblers, still firmly in the promotion hunt.
Elsewhere, Cardiff & Met's winless run stretched to three last weekend and they need a victory at home to City of Peterborough to keep their promotion hopes alive.
Below them in the table on goal difference, Cambridge City could leap above Olton & West Warwicks if they beat them on Sunday while in-form University of Birmingham will be aiming to make it yet another game unbeaten against Bowdon.
- Sheffield Hallam v Loughborough Students - 18:30 (Sat 12 February)
- Cardiff & Met v City of Peterborough - 12:30
- Cambridge City v Olton & West Warwicks - 13:30
- Deeside Ramblers v University of Nottingham - 14:00
- Bowdon v University of Birmingham - 14:30
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Can Reading's march towards a return to the top flight be stopped? The Blues hold an authoritative nine-point lead ahead of their trip to Teddington on Sunday afternoon.
A battle for second place in the league standings will ensue between Kent rivals Canterbury and Sevenoaks on Saturday night when the two meet at Holly Bush Lane.
Meanwhile, Old Cranleighan face Oxford Hawks, Southgate host Team Bath Buccs and the bottom two sides, Brighton & Hove and winless Havant, also meet.
- Old Cranleighan v Oxford Hawks - 17:00 (Sat 12 February)
- Sevenoaks v Canterbury - 17:00 (Sat 12 February)
- Brighton & Hove v Havant - 13:00
- Teddington v Reading - 13:45
- Southgate v Team Bath Buccs - 14:30
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The top two sides couldn't be separated after last weekend's 3-3 draw, meaning that Old Loughtonians hold a four-point lead ahead of their trip to London Wayfarers.
Second-placed Richmond, with five successive draws to their name, will aim to get back to winning ways against Spencer.
It's a battle of the bottom two, meanwhile, with hosts West Herts looking to leapfrog above Hampstead & Westminster 2s at the basement. Bromley & Beckenham kickstart the weekend by hosting a 'Friday Night Lights' clash against London Edwardians and Wapping face Indian Gymkhana in the other fixture.
- Bromley & Beckenham v London Edwardians - 20:00 (Fri 11 February)
- Richmond v Spencer - 13:45 (Sat 12 February)
- London Wayfarers v Old Loughtonians - 14:30 (Sat 12 February)
- West Herts v Hampstead & Westminster 2s - 12:00
- Wapping v Indian Gymkhana - 14:00
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Harborne's hard-fought win last time out maintained their lead at the top of Conference Midlands. But any slip up and Barford Tigers will aim to take advantage as the top clubs continue their season-long battle royale.
Harborne host Bedford on Saturday while the Tigers are also at home to Loughborough Town on Sunday.
Third-placed St Albans, who face University of Birmingham 2s, head a quintet of clubs aiming for league bragging rights. Harleston Magpies are directly behind them in the table and will look to edge above them with a win over Khalsa Leamington, while Lichfield could leap up to third if they beat Cambridge University and other results go their way.
- Harborne v Bedford - 18:30 (Sat 12 February)
- Barford Tigers v Loughborough Town - 13:00
- Harleston Magpies v Khalsa Leamington - 13:00
- Lichfield v Cambridge University - 13:30
- St Albans v University of Birmingham 2s - 14:00
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The top four all won last weekend, with Belper leading a tight race for promotion from the Conference North. Timperley could take temporary charge when they travel to bottom-placed Wakefield on Saturday before Belper face an away trip to University of Durham 2s.
Didsbury Northern, in third, are at home to Alderley Edge, while Doncaster face Beeston 2s. The last remaining game pits Leeds at home to Preston.
- Wakefield v Timperley - 17:30 (Sat 12 February)
- University of Durham 2s v Belper - 13:00
- Didsbury Northern v Alderley Edge - 14:00
- Doncaster v Beeston 2s - 14:00
- Leeds v Preston - 14:30
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New leaders Fareham host University of Bristol on Sunday lunchtime in the clash of the weekend in Conference West. Fareham leapfrogged Bristol last weekend as the Hampshire side won their fifth match on the trot to take a one-point lead heading into the much-anticipated encounter.
Meanwhile, it's third against fourth in the form of Ashmoor and Isca respectively. Cheltenham are at home against Plymouth Marjon as both look to stave off relegation while bottom side University of Exeter 2s face Chichester.
The final game involves Clifton Robinsons playing host to Cardiff University.
- Cheltenham v Plymouth Marjon - 12:30
- Isca v Ashmoor - 13:00
- Fareham v University of Bristol - 13:30
- Chichester v University of Exeter 2s - 14:00
- Clifton Robinsons v Cardiff University - 14:00