W1s Super 6s Hopes Ended by Clinical East Grinstead
By Colin Pike
Surbiton Women's hopes of lifting their first-ever Super 6s title were ended at the semi-final stage by a clinical East Grinstead team which came from 2-0 down to win 8-4.
Surbiton went into the match knowing that a victory over the reigning champions would earn them a final appearance against Sutton Coldfield who had beaten Holcombe 1-0 with a last minute penalty corner decider from Sally Walton.
The second semi-final mirrored the Premier Division meeting with East Grinstead as Surbiton built up a 2-0 lead before East Grinstead came back. Whereas East Grinstead fought back to earn a 3-3 draw in the qualifier, the West Sussex club stunned Surbiton with six goals in seven minutes to lead 6-2 at half time and barring a miracle, maintain their record of reaching the final on all three appearances at Derby Arena.
Surbiton started well, preventing East Grinstead from gaining early possession and took the lead in the sixth minute as Erica Sanders scored Surbiton's 50th indoor goal in 2026 from open play. Izzy Petter doubled Surbiton's lead from a penalty corner in the 13th minute, but just as at Repton School, Annelyse Tevant replied for East Grinstead a minute after Surbiton scored their second goal.
East Grinstead were level at 2-2 at half time at Repton, but took full advantage of the momentum of Tevant's goal at Derby, as East Grinstead clinically converted three penalty corners to take full control of the last four tie.
Chloe Brown and Biba Mills converted in the 14th and 15th minutes and after Tevant scored her second goal from open play in the 17th minute, Mills was on target from a set piece a minute later. Rosie Hope scored on the cusp of half time as East Grinstead broke through the Surbiton defence to hold an imposing 6-2 lead at the midway point.
The second half was more competitive as the teams shared four goals, Petter scoring from open play in the 22nd minute before Mills clinched her hat-trick from open play at the end of the third quarter.
Carlota Gomez demonstrated East Grinstead's penalty corner expertise in the 32nd minute before Sanders put away a penalty stroke with two minutes to play to make the final score 8-4.
The final scoreline doesn't reflect Surbiton's attacking tactics, Sanders illustrating her team's frustration by kicking her stick away after losing possession of the ball near the East Grinstead backline when in prime position to score.
East Grinstead went on to retain their title with a 2-1 victory over Sutton Coldfield, Gomez scoring in the 17th minute and Mills in the 32nd minute, both goals coming from open play before Walton converted a penalty corner for the West Midlands club two minutes from time.
East Grinstead will now hope to carry their winning form into the EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup in Swarzedz, Poland from 20-22 February when they compete in Pool B with Club Campo de Madrid; HC's Hertogenbosch and SK Slavia Prague. Hosts UKS Swarek Swarzedz; MSC Sumchanka; Mannheimer HC and Waterloo Ducks comprise Pool A.
Results, scorers and other information about the Women's Finals can be found at the England Hockey Altius website here
Information about the Premier Division qualifiers can also be found at the England Hockey Altius website here
All the matches at Derby Arena can be watched via the England Hockey channel on You Tube here