Review of the Premier Division Week Eight

It was a weekend of contrast in the Men’s Premier Division with two draws and four convincing wins for the top four. Leaders Old Georgians were, as ever, in the latter category. A Sam Ward hat-trick and two goals for Tom Carson saw them win 5-0 at Hampstead & Westminster, and prevented Hampstead from scoring for the first time this season.

Second placed Surbiton went one better at Bowdon, like their women’s counterparts. winning 6-0 including four goals for Struan Walker. Bowdon’s cause was not helped by keeper Will Grant getting injured and outfield player Matt Bellin bravely going between the sticks; we wish Will well. 

Holcombe in third beat Oxted 7-2 with doubles for Felix Tully and Matt Ramshaw. Wimbledon’s Ben Francis was another at the double, scoring twice in a 5-0 win over Cardiff & Met as they extended their unbeaten run to eight games.

With five of the top six places either set or, in the case of Hampstead, needing freak results to be denied, the battle for the remaining spot focused on Beeston’s trip to East Grinstead. Beeston trailing sixth placed Oxted by two points going into the games, whilst a win for East Grinstead would give them a good shot of making the top half. As it was the teams cancelled each other out in an exciting 4-4 draw. Louis Tipper hit a hat-trick for EG including what he must have thought was a 69th minute winner, two minutes after Beeston’s Henry Croft had made it 3-3. However Croft converted a last gasp penalty corner to square it up again, his third goal of the game too. 

The other game between the teams in 10th and 11th saw Southgate and Richmond draw 1-1.

The Review of the rest of the league will be out tomorrow. The Goals of the Week will be out on Wednesday and the EHL Premier Preview podcast, looking ahead to next Saturday’s games lands on Thursday evening. Also see our new league web pages here.

Fixtures - Saturday 16 November: 

Beeston v Bowdon, 18:00

Cardiff & Met v East Grinstead, 18:00

Old Georgians v Surbiton, 18:00

Oxted v Hampstead & Westminster, 16:30

Richmond v Wimbledon, 16:30

Southgate v Holcombe, 18:00 

Top Scorers (9 Nov):

Sam Ward (Old Georgians) 20

Struan Walker (Surbiton) 16

Alan Forsyth (Old Georgians) 11

Henry Croft (Beeston) 11

Teague Marcano (Holcombe) 11

Tom Carson (Old Georgians) 10

Matt Ramshaw (Holcombe) 9

Clean Sheets:

James Mazarelo (Surbiton) 2

Ore Ogunlana (Wimbledon) 2

The battle for a top six finish is heating up and the results in five out of Saturday’s six games had an impact on possible final placings in the table.

League leaders Reading remain unbeaten after a narrow 2-1 win at Nottingham University who remain 8th. Lorna Mackenzie and Mia Moore gave Reading a 2-0 half-time lead and although Katie Alexander pulled one back early in the second half Nottingham were unable to find an equaliser.

Second placed Hampstead & Westminster enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 win over bottom of the table Sutton Coldfield. Hampstead have the tightest defence in the Division with just five goals conceded and four clean sheets for Miriam Pritchard.

Third placed East Grinstead faced a much tougher test against Birmingham University. Birmingham wanted something from the game to boost their top six hopes and held on for 65 minutes before a Biba Mills corner gave EG the points.

Bowdon’s hopes of a top six place were dealt a blow by fourth placed Surbiton who won 6-0 in Cheshire and made secure their top six finish in the process. Wimbledon also took a big step in that direction after a hard fought 2-1 win over Clifton Robinsons. Livvy Lane gave visitors Clifton the lead in the first half and they held on until the final stages when Becky Manton and Sarah Jones, four minutes from time, turned the game around.

Loughborough Students were the big winners taking advantage of others faltering, as they jumped from 11th to 7th and very much in the top six mix thanks to a 3-0 win at Holcombe. There will no doubt be more twists and turns in the last two weeks’ of fixtures. 

The Review of the rest of the league will be out tomorrow. The Goals of the Week will be out on Wednesday and the EHL Premier Preview podcast, looking ahead to next Saturday’s games lands on Thursday evening. Also see our new league web pages here.

Fixtures - Saturday 16 November: 

Birmingham University v Loughborough Students, 14:30

Bowdon Hightown v Hampstead & Westminster, 13:30

Clifton Robinsons v Holcombe, 12:15

Nottingham University v Wimbledon, 12:00

Reading v East Grinstead, 16:00

Surbiton v Sutton Coldfield, 16:00 

Top Scorers:

Maddie Axford (Nottingham University) 8

Biba Mills (East Grinstead) 7

Madi Ratcliffe (Hampstead & Westminster) 7

Lucy Hyams (Hampstead & Westminster) 6

Mia Moore (Reading) 6

Darcy Bourne (Surbiton) 5

Lily Sokhi (Birmingham University) 5

Lorna Mackenzie (Reading) 5

Olivia Shannon (East Grinstead/ Holcombe) 5 (5 goals for Holcombe)

Clean Sheets:

Miriam Pritchard (Hampstead & Westminster) 4

Mila Welch (East Grinstead) 4

Nicola Cochrane (Reading) 3

Amber Walton (Surbiton) 3

Evie Wood (University of Birmingham) 2