EHL Premier Division Review | Week One

EHL Open/Men's Premier Division

Champions Surbiton started the season in style on their first visit to Caterham School beating Oxted 3-7. In a frantic opening six minutes Surbiton led 3-1 before running out comfortable winners with seven different players on the scoresheet including a debut-goal for Nick Bandurak, returning to league action after injury.

Runners-up Old Georgians were also in free scoring-mode beating Beeston 5-0, including a goal for Henry Croft, who joined from the Nottingham side in the summer, on his debut and three for another former Bee, Sam Ward.

Wimbledon went one better than Surbiton in an 8-4 win over promoted-side Reading. Wimbledon led 5-0 at the break and although it was a better second period for the visitors, Wimbledon’s Sam Hooper converted two corners to bring up his hat trick. 

Hampstead & Westminster were also big winners after a strong first half, leading 4-0 at the turnaround before seeing off East Grinstead 5-2. 

Holcombe opened the new season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Cardiff & Met, who are yet to score a goal at Holcombe Park.

Remarkably for the second season running we had a game abandoned due to weather on the opening day. This time it was Brooklands MU v Southgate which fell the way of many sporting fixtures in the North West after torrential rain on Saturday late afternoon.

EHL Women's Premier Division

Reading began their league championship defence with a last gasp 2-1 win at Wimbledon. Flora Fletcher, who joined Wimbledon from Exeter University over the summer, gave Wimbledon an early lead which Lorna Mackenzie cancelled out on the stroke of half time. Annie Wilson scored on the stroke of full time to condemn Wimbledon to a third successive opening day 2-1 loss, all remarkably featuring winning goals in the last two minutes.

Durham made a winning start on their Premier Division debut beating Clifton Robinsons 2-1. Lorna Crawford and Evelyn Wilson scored their goals with Evie Grindal netting an equaliser for the visitors who played without a keeper in the dying stages to try and force another but were denied at two overtime corners.

Fellow newcomers Barnes did not fare as well facing a baptism of fire, going down 6-0 at Surbiton, the home side’s best ever opening day result.

Hampstead & Westminster kicked off their season with a 3-0 win over East Grinstead. Rose Tynan scored twice and Holly Hunt the other. They will also be pleased at shutting out EG who failed to score in a league game for only the second time since September 2023. 

Birmingham University also beat Bowdon 3-0, replicating the result in their last meeting. 

The student derby at Nottingham University saw visiting Loughborough Students come away with a 5-1 win including two goals for debutant Mia Moore, top scorer at Reading in the past two seasons.