EHL Premier Division Preview | Week Nine

Women's Premier Division

There is a top of the table clash in the Women’s Premier Division as first-placed Hampstead welcome Surbiton, in second, to Paddington Rec. They are the only two teams unbeaten in the Division. Last season saw a draw and a win for Hampstead on their way to coming top of the Division at the end of the regular season. 

Third-placed East Grinstead face Wimbledon who are a place below them in the table, both teams are on a good run of form although Wimbledon have been held in two of their last five games. East Grinstead's Biba Mills is joint top scorer in the Division with Surbiton’s Darcy Bourne, and faces Jess Buchanan, Wimbledon’s keeper who has the most clean sheets.

Fifth-placed Reading welcome Barnes who make the short trip to Sonning Lane.  Reading lost at Loughborough Students last week to end a five-match unbeaten run. Barnes sit tenth. 

It’s an all-University battle as Birmingham in sixth host Durham two places below them. It’s their first league meeting since the 2009 play offs when Birmingham won on their way to gaining promotion to the top-flight.

Nottingham University welcome Bowdon hoping to close the four-point gap between the teams. Last season’s encounters ended one win apiece. 

Bottom of the table Clifton Robinsons will be hoping to build on last week’s first point when they play Loughborough Students. Loughborough will be looking to use last week’s fine win against Reading as a springboard to get into the top half of the table.

Open/Men's Premier Division

Surbiton will be looking to extend their 100% record in the Open/Men's Premier Division when they take on Brooklands MU. Its three years since the teams met in a Premier Division game with Surbiton winning 4-3 in Cheshire on that occasion. Surbiton’s Nick Bandurak will look to continue his scoring form as he is currently joint top-scorer in the Division with 12 goals.  

Second-placed Wimbledon travel to sixth-placed East Grinstead for the first time in three seasons. This is the only encounter featuring two top six teams this Saturday with both teams coming off the back of wins last weekend. 

Hampstead & Westminster, who enjoyed an outstanding comeback win at Holcombe last Saturday, play host to Cardiff & Met. Damon Steffens has stepped up for Hampstead since the retirement from 1^st team hockey of Matt Guise-Brown and is the Division’s joint top scorer with 12 goals alongside Bandurak. 

Holcombe will be looking to get back on track when they host bottom of the table Beeston who remain without a point but have come close with a series of narrow defeats.

Oxted dropped to seventh after last Saturday’s loss to East Grinstead which also ended a six-match unbeaten run. They travel to fourth-placed Old Georgians who have scored 17 goals in their last two games.

 Reading will be looking for their fourth win in five at home to Southgate which could propel them into the top six.