W1 End Phase 2 At Wimbledon On Saturday
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women end Phase 2 of the Women's Hockey League Premier Division by visiting Wimbledon on Saturday. Push back at Raynes Park High School is at 1400 as all the matches in the final round start at the same time.
Surbiton will be aiming to complete the first two phases unbeaten, having won thirteen and drawn two of their first fifteen games and are guaranteed to finish top of the Premier Division season and as a minimum, the second European place for 2026-27.
Wimbledon are battling with East Grinstead for third place, going into their final Top Six match level on points with the West Sussex club, but with a far superior goal difference. Hampstead & Westminster are guaranteed to finish second and their visitors on Saturday, Durham University, are likely to finish sixth, although they could catch fifth place Reading with a win, if Reading lose at East Grinstead.
The first meeting between Surbiton and Wimbledon at Sugden Road in November ended in a goalless draw. Wimbledon have the best defensive record in the Premier Division having only conceded thirteen goals in fifteen matches, helped by goalkeeper Jess Buchanan keeping eight clean sheets.
Hampstead & Westminster's Miriam Pritchard has kept seven clean sheets this season including two against Wimbledon, and could tie with Buchanan if she keeps a clean sheet at home to Durham and Surbiton score against Wimbledon.
Flo Fletcher is Wimbledon's top scorer with six goals, with Anna Toman and Charlotte Watson on four goals.
Surbiton have won their last seven league games since the draw with Wimbledon. Darcy Bourne is currently the division's top scorer with 14 goals, closely followed by team-mate Erica Sanders and East Grinstead's Biba Mills on 12.
Phase 3, the Premier Division Finals Pools, start next weekend with fixtures on 18, 19 and 25 April before the Premier Division Finals weekend on 2-3 May.
The University of Birmingham and Loughborough Students will join the Top Six teams to form the two four team pools, with the top two teams from each pool qualifying for the finals weekend on 2-3 May.
Birmingham and Loughborough meet in their final Bottom Six fixture, whilst Clifton Robinsons make the long trip to Bowdon with both teams aiming to pull away from the relegation zone. Clifton could find themselves back in the relegation zone if they lose at Bowdon and the University of Nottingham win at Barnes.
Barnes will be hoping to repeat their only victory of the season, back in October, but will be aware that a defeat will confirm their relegation back to Division One after a maiden season in the top-flight.