Vitality Women's Hockey League Week 3 2022 Preview

With league leaders Surbiton, the only team yet to concede across the whole of the Vitality Women's Hockey League, travelling to Buckingham, the home side will be falling back on past home form against Surbiton to produce an upset. In their first visit to Stowe School since February 2020, when they won 5-1, Surbiton lost on their two prior visits to Buckinghamshire.

Second-placed Beeston, having one of their best starts to a Premier Division campaign, travel to Bristol to play Clifton Robinsons, having won on their previous two visits to Coombe Dingle.

Having won against Clifton Robinsons last week, the University of Birmingham returns home to host Wimbledon for the first time in the top flight and for the first time since February 2006, when both teams were in Division One.

After losing to Wimbledon last time, Hampstead & Westminster travel to West Sussex to face East Grinstead, having faced defeat on their previous meeting at Saint Hill.

The University of Nottingham entertains Loughborough Students in a varsity battle at the Nottingham Hockey Centre in the first meeting at the Premier Division level for the two sides seeking their first win.

Reading welcomes Holcombe to Sonning Lane for a National League triple header (Reading 2's Play Isca & University of Exeter 2's) as the clubs meet for the first time since March 2017 in Kent, where Holcombe won 4-0. Holcombe have won five out of six meetings, only dropping points at home in a goalless draw in March 2015.

Stourport, the only team across Division One with a 100% record, travels to second-placed Bowdon, having lost both matches versus their opponent last season. A home win will see Stourport leapfrogged by Bowdon. Leicester City could inflict further damage with a road win as they take on Leeds. A win for the away team (and a loss for Stourport) with a three-goal margin will put them at the top of the table at the end of match day four.

Swansea, who picked up their first win last week against Gloucester City, welcomes Ben Rhydding to South Wales. Gloucester City travels to Brooklands Poynton in a sixth-versus-seventh clash with both sides level on points, while the eighth-placed side, Durham University, travels to ninth-placed Sutton Coldfield.

Slough, who have had an impressive start to their campaign as they seek to rejoin the Premier Division, welcome third-placed Barnes, level on points with Slough having a two better goal difference. 

Isca & University of Exeter, sitting second having conceded one goal more than Slough, await the arrival of a Cambridge City side who has struggled to get their season started in Division One. A big win for the home side will surely see them climb to the top of the table.

Wimbledon 2's host the Harleston Magpies at Raynes Park High School, looking for a repeat of the 3-2 victory in the corresponding fixture from last year. The division's best attack lines up against the division's worst at Polo Farm when Canterbury entertains Witney in what, on paper, looks to be a comfortable home win. Can Witney produce an upset in Kent?

Sevenoaks are the next visitors to Sugden Road, with Surbiton 2's struggling for form this season. Separated by just a single point, a win for the home side will see them climb at least one spot on the ladder.

Division leaders Southgate return home to face Ipswich, having conceded for the first time away at Spencer last week. Ipswich, who have won their previous two matches, will have their work cut out as they look to end an unbeaten run for the home side dating back to February.

Spencer, now getting used to the pace of life in the National League, travels to the Paddington Recreation Ground to face Hampstead & Westminster 2's, who are unbeaten in seven, buoyed by two close-fought matches against sides tipped to be fighting for promotion.

After losing 4-2 at home to Hampstead 2's last weekend, Horsham head to Essex to line up against a Chelmsford side who picked up their first points of the season at Bishop's Stortford in their previous match. Traveling to East London and with both sides struggling for form this season, the Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre will be the home of an entertaining match 

London Wayfarers welcome second-placed side Guildford to the King's House Sports Ground. Newly promoted Guildford are playing with confidence as their early-season form has propelled them to the division's upper echelons.

Olton & West Warwickshire remain the only unbeaten side in the division, welcoming local rivals Rugby & East Warwickshire to Solihull. With all teams having won at least one match, Belper, currently sitting second from bottom, plays fifth-placed Oxford University, separated by just one point.  

Loughborough Students, who lost their second game last week against Belper, travel to the Nottingham Hockey Centre to take on a struggling Beeston 2's side, whose only points this season have come at home. 

Having lost their last game on the road, second-placed St Albans makes the short journey up the M1 to face Bedford at the Bedford Hockey Centre.

The University of Birmingham 2's will be hoping for a favour from Bedford as they look to leapfrog St Albans with a win at home against Cannock to keep the pressure on the league leaders.

With the top three sides being separated on goal difference, things are tight at the top in the Conference North. With the top four in a battle against each other this weekend, the league table could look very different come Saturday evening. Division leaders Harrogate welcome third-placed Timperley. At the same time, second-placed Fylde awaits the arrival of fourth-placed Didsbury Northern. A loss for any side, all four separated by a single point, could see them tumble down the table, with unbeaten Doncaster waiting in the wings to pounce on a top-four slip-up, traveling to ninth-placed Durham University 2's.  

Pendle Forest lines up against Alderley Edge at Pendle Vale College, eager to join the close pack at the top of the league, while their opponents will be seeking to break their run of poor form and pick up their first points of the season. Liverpool Sefton meets Wakefield at Liverpool College, with their visitors on a downward spiral, having won, drawn, and lost their opening three games.

After last week's 3-0 win at home over the Bristol Firebrands, in a match that also saw umpire Jim Marchant take charge of his 100th match, Penarth returns to Sophia Gardens to await the arrival of Southampton-based Trojans. Currently sitting at the foot of the table, the Trojans will be eager to prevent a third consecutive away loss of the season. 

Basingstoke, picking up their first point of the season against Cheltenham last week, welcomes a Team Bath Buccaneers side seeking their third consecutive win.  

Cheltenham travels to Bristol to face the Firebrands, eager to repeat the 4-0 scoreline from last season.

Third-placed Isca & University of Exeter 2's head to Reading to take part in a National League triple-header at Sonning Lane, with Reading men's and ladies' sides taking on Holcombe in the Premier Division later in the day.

League leaders Exe travel to Banbury for the midday match against the Oxford Hawks; having previously dropped points away from home, they will be looking to replicate their home form as they seek to stay at the top of the division.