Vitality Women's Hockey League Week 6 2022 Preview

With full-fixture hockey back after half term, Jade Bloomfield of Hockey World News looks over the Vitality Women's Hockey League Premier Division, Division One North and South and the Conferences

League leaders Surbiton return home to Sugden road, having suffered their first defeat of the season last time out against second-placed Wimbledon. Reading, buoyed by their win against the University of Birmingham in Week 5, travel to Surbiton where in ten regular-season meetings, Surbiton have kept eight clean sheets. Reading celebrated victory for the only time at Sugden Road in October 2013, when Rebecca Halle was the last Reading player to score against Surbiton in the regular season.

Wimbledon head to Stowe School for the first in the top flight to line up against struggling Buckingham. The two sides have only met once previously in the Premier Division, when Wimbledon won 5-1 in November 2021.

Hot on the tails of the top two, Clifton Robinsons, trailing Surbiton by two points, travel to face the Loughborough Students. Level on points with Clifton Robinsons and enjoy their best-ever start to a Premier Division campaign; Beeston welcome the University of Birmingham to the Nottingham Hockey Centre. Beeston will be in high spirits about keeping the run going, with the University of Birmingham's only victory coming in October 2014 when they won 4-2.

Holcombe have the chance to climb into the top half of the table when they line up against East Grinstead at Saint Hill. However, things will not be so straightforward as honours are even in the five meetings, with East Grinstead having won the first and last games and Holcombe having won on their second and fourth visits, with a goalless draw in the middle in September 2017

The University of Nottingham, picking up their first win of the season last week, heads to the Capital to play Hampstead & Westminster for the first time.

Elsewhere across the divisions and conference, Stourport and Swansea meet at the Stourport Sports Club in Division One North in a 2nd Vs 3rd encounter, Stourport leading the opponents by a single point.  

Division One South its a battle at the opposite end of the table catching the eye as bottom club Cambridge City host fellow strugglers Surbiton 2's. Surbiton 2's second from bottom, two points ahead of their hosts, will be looking to pull and edge closer to safety.

In the Vitality Women's Hockey League Conference East, returning to hockey after the half-term break couldn't get any harder for Bishop's Stortford, at the foot of the table, as they welcome division leaders Southgate to the Herts & Essex Sports Centre.

Conference Midlands sees the only unbeaten side, Olton & West Warwickshire, line up against the University of Birmingham 2s in second place, trailing their hosts by one point.

Alderley Edge have the chance to move off the foot of the table when they line up against Durham University 2s at the Edge on Saturday afternoon. With both sides still searching for their first win, all is to play for in this intriguing encounter.

Second and third meet in the Conference West, separated by a single point. Team Bath Buccaneers, leading Isca & University of Exeter 2s, make the short journey to Exeter hoping for a victory to keep the pressure on leaders Penarth.

For full fixtures and league tables, visit the Vitality Women's Hockey League section of the website HERE

Image by Andy Smith