Women’s Premier Division Round-Up | 31 October

Surbiton produced the standout result of the weekend with an emphatic 6-1 victory over University of Nottingham, while Reading, East Grinstead, Loughborough Students and University of Birmingham all recorded important wins in the Women’s Premier Division. 

Reading secured a convincing 3-0 success away at Buckingham thanks to a clinical hat-trick from Madeleine Goodman. Goodman opened the scoring from a penalty corner before adding two field goals to seal all three points for the visitors. 

Loughborough Students left Teddington with all three points after Niamh McIvor struck in the second minute to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory. 

East Grinstead claimed an impressive 3-1 away win over Wimbledon. Ellie Rayer’s penalty corner gave the visitors the lead before Maddie Long levelled for the hosts. East Grinstead regained control after the break, with Tess Howard and Chloe Brown finding the net to complete the victory. 

Bowdon and Hampstead & Westminster shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. Annabel Mills fired Bowdon ahead after 11 minutes, but Catherine Ledesma responded six minutes later to earn the visitors a point. 

University of Birmingham edged a tight contest at Durham University, with Caitlin Witham’s sixth-minute penalty corner proving enough to secure a 1-0 victory. 

At Surbiton, the home side delivered a ruthless attacking display to defeat University of Nottingham 6-1. Maddie Axford opened the scoring before Izzy Petter struck twice, while Darcy Bourne and Amy Costello converted penalty corners and Ellie Mackenzie also found the net. Sammy Digby-Duell scored Nottingham’s consolation as Surbiton completed the biggest win of the round.

Surbiton remain top of the standings after seven matches, while an important three points for East Grinstead extends their gap to seventh spot in hopes of securing a top-six position ahead of Phase Two of the season.

Open/Men’s Premier Division Round-Up | 31 October

Goals were in plentiful supply across the Open/Men’s Premier Division, with Holcombe edging an 11-goal thriller at Oxted, Old Georgians and Hampstead & Westminster both hitting seven-plus on the road, and Wimbledon producing an emphatic home victory. 

The game of the weekend came at Caterham School, where Holcombe emerged 5-6 winners against Oxted. Timothy Guise-Brown was clinical from penalty corners, scoring four times for the hosts, while Charlie Axford added another. But Holcombe proved to be as clinical in front of goal, with Teague Marcano netting twice from penalty corners, Rohan Bhuhi scoring twice from open play, and Mubashar Ali and Matthew Ramshaw also getting on the scoresheet in a dramatic contest. 

Old Georgians delivered another statement performance with an 8-1 victory away to the University of Exeter. Charlie Rowe struck twice, while Sam Ward, Henry Croft, Phillip Roper, Edward Carson, Andrew McConnell and Alan Forsyth were also on target for the reigning champions.

At Raynes Park High School, Wimbledon produced a dominant display to defeat East Grinstead 6-1. Ali Empey opened the scoring before Sam Hooper, Jules Bournac and Louis Tipper all converted penalty corners. Fred Newbold added a brace, while Max Lowrey’s penalty corner provided East Grinstead’s only reply. 

Hampstead & Westminster were equally ruthless in a 7-1 success at Bowdon. Karan Sofat led the way with a hat-trick, while Jolyon Morgan and Jake Glew added field goals and Rupert Shipperley struck twice from penalty corners. Jack McAuliffe scored a late consolation for the hosts. 

Surbiton claimed a valuable 3-1 away win against Beeston. Early goals from Max Anderson and James Oates put the visitors in control before Nick Bandurak made it three. Abdul Rehman reduced the deficit for Beeston, but Surbiton saw out the victory to continue their winning streak. 

The closest contest of the afternoon came in Cardiff, where Reading secured a 3-2 win over Cardiff & Met. Jack Pritchard gave the hosts an early lead, but Maks Wyndham-Smith turned the game around with a superb hat-trick, scoring twice from open play and once from a penalty corner. Hari Bhogal’s penalty stroke kept Cardiff & Met in contention, but Reading held on for all three points.

Surbiton and Wimbledon continued their 100% records, while only four points separate Hampstead & Westminster in fifth and Oxted in tenth, with the battle for a top-six spot heating up.

Beeston vs Surbiton header photo captured by Finlay Longley