- England Hockey Leagues
Preview: Top-Of-The-Table London Clash Is Standout Fixture In Men's Premier Division
The weather may be starting to get colder but things are beginning to heat up very nicely across the Men's and Vitality Women's Hockey Leagues.
With runaway leaders Hampstead & Westminster not in action this weekend, both Surbiton and East Grinstead play double-headers in the Vitality Women's Premier Division aiming to reduce the gap at the top. This includes what promises to be a fierce encounter between the two on Sunday.
There's a south-west London derby in the Men's Premier Division with table-toppers Wimbledon taking on a Surbiton side who suffered their first defeat of the season last time out and will be seeking to immediately avenge it. Meanwhile, there's an important clash between Holcombe and Oxted while Brooklands MU play twice in the battle to finish in the top six.
It's also the final weekend of action in the Division One North/South and Conference leagues, with plenty of exciting encounters to look forward to as teams aim to finish the first half of the season on a high.
Rod Gilmour from The Hockey Paper provides you a detailed run down of all the fixtures below.
To see a full list of fixtures, results and tables from leagues across the country, click here.
Please note - unless stated, all women's matches will be played on Saturday 20 November and all men's matches will take place on Sunday 21 November.
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There is still all to play for in the Vitality Women's Premier Division ahead of the penultimate weekend before the mid-season league placings are realised.
Victory for Beeston over Swansea will assure James Sordillo's side of a place in the top six. Beeston are currently in sixth but any slip up against the Welsh side will leave three clubs behind them still in with a chance heading into the final weekend.
Buckingham have the best chance given their goal difference over University of Birmingham and Loughborough Students, the trio of clubs locked on six points.
Whether hosts Buckingham can stop East Grinstead's superb form is another matter. The West Sussex side last failed to score in the top flight 26 months ago and have won their last five matches.
The Students host fellow rivals University of Birmingham on Saturday in a crunch encounter where both sides need a win or face a drop into the bottom five league in February.
Meanwhile Clifton need a point to claim a berth in the top six. They host Wimbledon on Saturday with the Bristol side able to celebrate their recent milestone of 500 Premier Division matches in front of local support.
Holcombe, second from bottom, will hope results fall their way as they are mathematically not out of the race for a top six place. The Kent side face a stern test at home in the form of Surbiton.
On Sunday, East Grinstead face Surbiton, forming a double header weekend for both clubs. If they can finish with six points, East Grinstead, unbeaten at home in 14 matches, will head into the final weekend only three points behind leaders Hampstead & Westminster, who have a bye weekend.
- Buckingham v East Grinstead - 12:00
- Clifton Robinsons v Wimbledon - 14:00
- Holcombe v Surbiton - 14:00
- Loughborough Students v University of Birmingham - 14:00
- Swansea v Beeston - 12:00
- East Grinstead v Surbiton - 13:30 (Sun 21 Nov)
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Stourport head into the final weekend before the outdoor break seeking to rise further up the table thanks to their searing form in Division 1 North.
They sit in fourth after a run of five straight wins, just four points behind leaders University of Nottingham, and are faced with a trip to Gloucester City on Saturday.
In-form and unbeaten Nottingham host Brooklands Poynton, while Bowdon - looking to hit back after a first loss of the season last time out - face third-placed Durham University in the match of the weekend.
At the bottom, Belper and Olton & West Warwickshire push back with the sole aim of winning their first matches of the season while Leicester City and Ben Rhydding meet after both secured victories last weekend.
- Belper v Olton & West Warwicks - 14:00
- Gloucester City v Stourport - 12:30
- Leicester City v Ben Rhydding - 14:00
- University of Durham v Bowdon Hightown - 12:00
- University of Nottingham v Brooklands Poynton - 12:00
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Sevenoaks could open up a significant lead at the top of Division One South on the final weekend before the Christmas break.
Holding a five-point lead over Reading, Sevenoaks - the only team unbeaten this term - face bottom side Trojans, who have yet to taste victory this season.
Meanwhile, Reading travel to Wimbledon 2s and Harleston Magpies face Canterbury, all four clubs having won last weekend. Slough will hope to return to winning ways against Cambridge City while victory for Isca over Surbiton 2s will see them move to within one point of the south-west London outfit.
- Canterbury v Harleston Magpies - 14:00
- Sevenoaks v Trojans - 14:00
- Slough v Cambridge City - 12:30
- Surbiton 2s v Isca - 13:30
- Wimbledon 2s v Reading - 14:00
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The top two sides take on mid-table opposition as the race hots up at the top of Conference East. Leaders Barnes open up Saturday's fixtures when they host Ipswich for a mid-day push back, with Southgate travelling to East London.
Ipswich will be no pushovers, however, after a run of three straight victories. Hampstead & Westminster 2s also have the same form as they take on bottom side Canterbury 2s.
London Wayfarers could move themselves up to second if they beat Chelmsford and Southgate don't win, while Horsham and Bromley & Beckenham will both be hoping to arrest a run of defeats when they meet.
- Barnes v Ipswich - 12:00
- Chelmsford v London Wayfarers - 15:00
- East London v Southgate - 18:00
- Hampstead & Westminster 2s v Canterbury 2s - 12:30
- Horsham v Bromley & Beckenham - 13:30
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The standout clash in the Conference Midlands sees leaders Sutton Coldfield head to second-placed St Albans. Sutton Coldfield remain unbeaten this season while St Albans can cut their rival's lead to one point before the winter break.
Bedford have been in stunning form and the third-placed side host Oxford University hoping to keep in touch with the top two at the very least.
Elsewhere, Broxbourne and University of Birmingham 2s will both be aiming to claim vital victories at the bottom of the table when they meet, fourth-placed Beeston 2s host Cannock (who are fifth) and Loughborough Students 2s head to Khalsa Leamington.
- Bedford v Oxford University - 13:30
- Beeston 2s v Cannock - 14:00
- Broxbourne v University of Birmingham 2s - 13:30
- Khalsa Leamington v Loughborough Students 2s - 12:00
- St Albans v Sutton Coldfield - 13:00
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With just six points separating the top eight teams in the league, there's the potential for many sides to move up and down the Conference North table this weekend.
The clash of the weekend sees Leeds, second in the table, heading to Wakefield knowing they could sit at the top come the end of the day if they win and Timperley fail to beat Fylde.
Victory for either Pendle Forest or Didsbury Northern in their game could see either side rocket up the table if other results go their way, while University of Durham 2s and Doncaster know that wins over Neston and Alderley Edge respectively will keep them in touch with those at the top of the league.
- Alderley Edge v Doncaster - 14:00
- Fylde v Timperley - 13:30
- Neston v University of Durham 2s - 13:30
- Pendle Forest v Didsbury Northern - 11:30
- Wakefield v Leeds - 15:30
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It remains a battle between teams from Bristol and Oxfordshire in the Conference West heading into the final weekend before the mid-season break.
League leaders Bristol Firebrands remain top but any slip up against opponents Team Bath Buccs could see Witney go top when they play Clifton Robinsons 2s, while Oxford Hawks will also be aiming to capitalise at home against Basingstoke.
University of Bristol will want to end the first half of the season on a high by picking up their first points against Penarth while there is a mid-table clash between Exe and Cheltenham.
- Bristol Firebrands v Team Bath Buccs - 13:00
- Clifton Robinsons 2s v Witney - 14:00
- Exe v Cheltenham - 13:00
- Oxford Hawks v Basingstoke - 12:00
- Penarth v University of Bristol - 12:30
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Brooklands MU's top six hopes rest on a crucial double header on the penultimate weekend before the winter break in the Men's Premier Division.
The north-west outfit, with a game in hand on their rivals, host Hampstead & Westminster and Old Georgians on Saturday and Sunday respectively, two sides who have already qualified for the the top six split league after Christmas.
Brooklands will be searching for their first win in five games and, if they can secure victory in one of these two tussles, it could take the final placings down to the last weekend.
Holcombe and Oxted, in fifth and sixth respectively, are still not assured of a top league berth. The two sides meet on Sunday, with much riding on the encounter - Holcombe can qualify with a win.
University of Durham can also still make the top six. They play second from bottom East Grinstead on Sunday before facing University of Exeter, who prop up the Premier Division table, on the final weekend.
Meanwhile, there will be a London derby to savour when leaders Wimbledon travel to Surbiton on Saturday evening.
Wimbledon took over from Surbiton at the top last weekend when Mark Pearn's suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Hampstead & Westminster.
Surbiton's forward and corner threats will look to exact revenge on their rivals and will return to the summit with a home win at Sugden Road.
Beeston are still not out of the top six equation but need to win their last two matches, starting with a home clash with Exeter on Sunday afternoon.
- Brooklands MU v Hampstead & Westminster - 14:00 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Beeston v University of Exeter - 14:00
- Brooklands MU v Old Georgians - 14:00
- Holcombe v Oxted - 13:00
- Surbiton v Wimbledon - 17:00
- University of Durham v East Grinstead - 13:00
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Cardiff & Met's draw with Division One North leaders Loughborough Students last time out has kept the top of the league wide open. On Sunday, the Welsh side host second-placed University of Nottingham, with either side having the potential to go top with victory if Loughborough slip up on the road Olton & West Warwickshire.
Bowdon, in fourth, find themselves eight points behind Cardiff and will look to assert themselves before the Christmas break, starting with a home clash against Deeside Ramblers.
Cambridge City secured their first win in five matches last weekend and will aim to make it two on the bounce against Sheffield Hallam, with City of Peterborough hoping for their first maximum points haul against University of Birmingham.
- Cambridge City v Sheffield Hallam - 15:00 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Bowdon v Deeside Ramblers - 14:30
- Cardiff & Met v University of Nottingham - 13:30
- City of Peterborough v University of Birmingham - 14:00
- Olton & West Warwicks v Loughborough Students - 13:30
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Canterbury's dramatic late winner against Reading last weekend will have given the Kent-based side renewed vigour as they aim to chase down the current league leaders in Division One South.
That victory cut Reading's lead to six points and they will be aiming to increase that once again this weekend against an Oxford Hawks side unbeaten in three. Meanwhile, Canterbury will aim to make further in-roads against a Havant side who have not yet got off the mark.
Southgate face London rivals Teddington in a Saturday evening clash. Both sides are locked on 10 points and bragging rights will be in full view under the lights. Elsewhere, it's third versus fourth when Team Bath Buccs play Sevenoaks while Old Cranleighan host Brighton & Hove on Saturday evening.
- Old Cranleighan v Brighton & Hove - 18:00 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Southgate v Teddington - 18:30 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Havant v Canterury - 14:00
- Reading v Oxford Hawks - 14:30
- Team Bath Buccs v Sevenoaks
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After two successive wins, Wapping will be full of confidence when they host Conference East leaders Old Loughtonians on Saturday evening.
Wapping's recent points mean they are the form team in the league with Richmond, London Edwardians and London Wayfarers - who occupy league places behind Old Loughts - all without a win in their last three matches.
It's a clash between second and third when Richmond host London Edwardians on Saturday lunchtime while there is also a bottom of the table meeting between West Herts and Indian Gymkhana on Sunday. The other games pit Hampstead & Westminster 2s up against London Wayfarers while Bromley & Beckenham host Spencer.
- Hampstead & Westminster 2s v London Wayfarers - 14:30 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Richmond v London Edwardians - 12:00 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Wapping v Old Loughtonians - 18:00 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Bromley & Beckenham v Spencer - 14:00
- West Herts v Indian Gymkhana - 13:30
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Harborne hit 40 goals for the season last time out and host St Albans on Saturday as they aim to keep Barford Tigers at arm's length.
The Tigers are two points behind Harborne and also remain unbeaten ahead of their away push back against Harleston Magpies, without a win in four, on Sunday.
At the foot of the table, University of Birmingham 2's point last weekend stopped a run of defeats and they now face an away trip at Lichfield. Meanwhile, Loughborough Town could jump up two places to third with a win at home against Khalsa Leamington while Bedford play Cambridge University.
- Harborne v St Albans - 16:30 (Sat 20 Nov)
- Cambridge University v Bedford - 13:30
- Harleston Magpies v Barford Tigers - 13:00
- Lichfield v University of Birmingham 2s - 13:30
- Loughborough Town v Khalsa Leamington - 12:30
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Only one point separates the top three sides heading into the final weekend before the winter break. Conference North leaders Belper face a stern test against Alderley Edge, who themselves are aiming for a hat-trick of wins.
Timperley, in second, host Beeston 2s while third-placed Didsbury Northern, the only unbeaten team in the league, also have a home encounter against Preston.
University of Durham 2s will have their work cut out to stop their current run of defeats when they play Doncaster while victory for Wakefield against Leeds on Saturday could temporarily propel the team bottom of the table up four places.
- Wakefield v Leeds - TBC (Sat 20 Nov)
- Alderley Edge v Belper - 14:30
- Didsbury Northern v Preston - 14:00
- Doncaster v University of Durham 2s - 14:00
- Timperley v Beeston 2s - 14:00
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Unbeaten in four, league leaders University of Bristol host Ashmoor in a top-of-the-table encounter at Coombe Dingle on Sunday.
In-form Fareham, in third, can keep up the pressure at the top with victory over Cardiff University.
On the last weekend before the winter break, University of Exeter 2s will aim for victory over fellow strugglers Cheltenham to lift them off the foot of the table. The other games see Isca and Clifton Robinsons both striving to secure their first wins this month when they meet while Chichester travel to Plymouth Marjon.
- Cheltenham v University of Exeter 2s - 12:30
- Fareham v Cardiff University - 13:30
- Isca v Clifton Robinsons - 13:00
- Plymouth Marjon v Chichester - 13:00
- University of Bristol v Ashmoor - 13:30