Super 6s Preview: East Grinstead v Slough

As the build up to the 2022 Super 6s Finals Day continues, over the course of the week England Hockey will be previewing each of the semi-finals set to take place on Sunday 30 January at the Copper Box Arena.

The opening game of the day will see Slough – the most successful women’s indoor team in English club history – face 2019 champions East Grinstead.

Road to the Copper Box

East Grinstead were the only unbeaten men’s or women’s team to qualify from the Premier Division, winning seven of their eight matches. They were involved in some high scoring affairs, beating Buckingham 9-3 and Bowdon 8-5, after recording a goalless draw with Slough in their opening match.

Slough qualified in fourth place, narrowly holding off Bowdon to secure the last remaining spot at Finals Day. After a slow start to the Premier Division, they won three games in a row to rocket up to the table before a 2-2 draw with Buckingham was enough to book their place in the final four.

Super 6s history

Slough are the joint-most successful indoor team in England, having won 14 national titles – the same number as East Grinstead’s men. Their last victory came in 2017 when they beat Canterbury 2-0 in the final, while they dominated the scene in the ‘90s and ‘00s as they claimed 11 trophies in 15 years.

East Grinstead have won two indoor finals in recent years, their first victory coming in 2016 as they beat Canterbury 3-1 in the final before emerging victorious over Buckingham in the 2019 final. On both occasions they’ve won the championship, they’ve done so alongside their men – will the same happen this year?

Head-to-head

The last time they met at a Super 6s Finals Day was in 2019, with goals from Elsie Nix and Lucy Holder seeing East Grinstead emerge 2-1 victors on their way to winning the title.

They’ve met several times in the Premier Division or equivalent group stages over the last few years too, with the overall record seeing East Grinstead having won five matches, Slough twice and the teams drawing twice too.

That last draw came in the opening game of this year’s Premier Division as it finished 0-0, which was the only match East Grinstead failed to win in the group.

Players to watch

East Grinstead boast attacking threats all over the pitch, with a total of 11 players scoring during the Premier Division. Chloe Brown and Eliza Wheeler finished as their top scorers with seven apiece, while Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Ellie Rayer also bagged five. As always, the deadly Sophie Bray will be looking to show her class while young players Robyn Bentley, Amy Thompson and Alex Malzer could shine too.

A total of six members of Slough’s championship-winning team from 2017 featured in the Premier Division this year and that experience could prove crucial if they are to repeat the feat. Captain Kat McGonigle is a club and indoor legend and will be hoping to lead her side to a second title, while goalkeeper Asha Tranquille-Day and forward Dilly Newton will bring plenty of knowledge and nous at either end of the pitch. Imogen Brown was their top scorer during qualification with five goals, while Sarah Parkinson-Mills scored four times.