- England Hockey Leagues
Preview: Historic Occasion For Clifton Robinsons In Vitality Women's Premier Division
Photo credit - @Smifsports (Twitter)
Clifton Robinsons will make history in the Vitality Women's Premier Division this weekend, playing their 500th game in the top flight.
That's just one of a number of hotly anticipated fixtures taking place, with Rod Gilmour from The Hockey Paper providing the full preview below.
In the Men's Premier Division, Old Georgians and Oxted meet for the first time since their 16-goal thriller last season while teams battling to finish in the top six face some crucial ties.
There are plenty of top-of-the-table encounters across the Men's and Women's Division One North and South leagues, including table-toppers Bowdon hosting second-placed University of Nottingham in the women's northern tier.
To see a full list of fixtures, results and tables from leagues across the country, click here.
Please note - unless stated, all women's matches will be played on Saturday 13 November and all men's matches will take place on Sunday 14 November.
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A landmark match will take place in the Vitality Women's Premier Division on Saturday when Clifton Robinsons play their 500th top flight encounter.
The Bristol side have played every season bar one, in 2006/07, since the women's Premier Division was formed in 1989/90.
No other women's and men's club has played as many matches as Clifton Robinsons in Premier Division history and their history-making trip to Beeston will serve to underline Robbies' ability to remain a top side without consistently attracting the leading stars in English hockey.
This weekend Clifton, who will formally mark the occasion at their next home game against Wimbledon on November 20, will aim to rubber stamp their top six place against Beeston, who also need a win to keep up their bid.
Beeston, in sixth, head a tightly-packed mid table on another key weekend in the top flight.
University of Birmingham, who sit one point behind Beeston, entertain East Grinstead, having lost three of their last five matches.
Buckingham have also hit the buffers after three defeats in a row and face a tricky test against Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, it's top against bottom as leaders Hampstead & Westminster, assured of a top six berth, host Swansea, who have endured a tough start to the season so far.
Loughborough Students also need a victory on Saturday. After a mixed weekend that saw them beat Swansea before suffering a heavy defeat to Wimbledon, Brett Holland's side take on unbeaten Surbiton in another meaningful encounter.
- Beeston v Clifton Robinsons - 14:00
- Hampstead & Westminster v Swansea - 14:00
- Surbiton v Loughborough Students - 15:00
- University of Birmingham v East Grinstead - 14:30
- Wimbledon v Buckingham - 16:00
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A heavyweight clash in Division One North sees leaders Bowdon Hightown host University of Nottingham.
Bowdon will face their sternest test yet, with Nottingham sitting two points behind. They travel north with leading scorer Maddie Axford (12) and the tightest defence in the league, having leaked just five goals in seven matches.
Meanwhile, third plays fourth when in-form University of Durham head to Stourport, both clubs having won their last four matches.
Ben Rhydding and Belper will both be hoping to secure their first wins of the season when they meet, as will Olton & West Warwicks when they host Leicester City. The other game sees Brooklands Poynton welcome Gloucester City to the north west.
- Ben Rhydding v Belper - 13:30
- Bowdon Hightown v University of Nottingham - 13:30
- Brooklands Poynton v Gloucester City - 11:45
- Olton & West Warwicks v Leicester City - 12:00
- Stourport v University of Durham - 16:00
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The top two in Division One South will both contest away trips on Saturday. Leaders Sevenoaks face perhaps the toughest match when they head to Isca, who will be eager to keep up the pressure on the top four.
Slough, in second, travel to Harleston Magpies, who are looking to stop a run of four straight defeats.
Surbiton 2s and Reading will both be aiming to capitalise on any mistakes the two teams above them might make when they meet in another enticing encounter.
Elsewhere, Trojans will be aiming to secure a maiden victory when they play Wimbledon 2s while Canterbury will want to make it three successive wins when they visit Cambridge City.
- Cambridge City v Canterbury - 12:30
- Harleston Magpies v Slough - 13:30
- Isca v Sevenoaks - 15:00
- Reading v Surbiton 2s - 16:30
- Trojans v Wimbledon 2s - 12:00
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Barnes look favourites to strengthen their lead at the top of Conference East when they push back against bottom side Canterbury 2s.
Barnes are chasing a fifth successive win and top the league ahead of Southgate, who face second-from-bottom Chelmsford on Saturday.
A tightly-congested league sees third-placed London Wayfarers eager for a win against East London. Elsewhere, Hampstead & Westminster 2s, who have won their last two, face Bromley & Beckenham while Ipswich will be aiming to win for a third weekend in a row when they host Horsham.
- Bromley & Beckenham v Hampstead & Westminster 2s - 12:30
- Canterbury 2s v Barnes - 14:00
- Ipswich v Horsham - 12:00
- London Wayfarers v East London - 12:30
- Southgate v Chelmsford - 17:00
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Emma McCabe's goals have lit up Sutton Coldfield's season and the league's top scorer can add to her tally against bottom side Khalsa Leamington. The leaders have a five-point cushion over St Albans, who head to University of Birmingham 2s.
Bedford's four successive wins have kept up the chase on the top two and, with a game in hand, they can make further inroads with victory over Cannock.
Two sides level on points and goal difference near the bottom of the league, Loughborough Students 2s and Broxbourne will both be aiming to move away from each other in their clash on Saturday, while the other game sees Oxford University host Beeston 2s.
- Cannock v Bedford - 12:00
- Loughborough Students 2s v Broxbourne - 14:00
- Oxford University v Beeston 2s - 12:30
- Sutton Coldfield v Khalsa Leamington - 12:00
- University of Birmingham 2s v St Albans - 12:30
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The competitive nature of Conference North shows no signs of abating with three points separating the top seven sides. Leaders Wakefield will want to move away from the chasing pack and maintain their position when they push back against Didsbury Northern, in eighth.
Timperley could top the division this weekend, however, when they host out-of-form Neston, who prop up the league.
Doncaster, in fifth, could leap above their opponents in third-placed Fylde with victory on Saturday, as could Pendle Forest if they beat Leeds. The other game sees University of Durham 2s play at home against Alderley Edge.
- Didsbury Northern v Wakefield - 12:00
- Doncaster v Fylde - 12:00
- Leeds v Pendle Forest - 16:00
- Timperley v Neston - 16:00
- University of Durham 2s v Alderley Edge - 12:00
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Witney against Oxford Hawks is the pick of the matches in Conference West as second faces third in the battle to keep pace with leaders Bristol Firebrands.
Both clubs sit one point behind Firebrands, who head to Cheltenham on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Exe, unbeaten in five, take on Basingstoke, while the bottom two sides meet when University of Bristol host Clifton Robinsons 2s. Team Bath Buccs could also close in on the top teams if they beat Penarth.
- Basingstoke v Exe - 14:00
- Cheltenham v Bristol Firebrands - 14:00
- Team Bath Buccs v Penarth - 12:30
- University of Bristol v Clifton Robinsons 2s - 13:15
- Witney v Oxford Hawks - 12:30
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Old Georgians and Oxted face each other in a re-match of their incredible 16-goal encounter last season in the men's Premier Division.
Oxted were 5-4 up at St George's College last October before Old Georgians prevailed 10-6 in the highest scoring match in the top flight for 13 years.
It is set to be a tighter affair on Sunday, with the Weybridge side having only conceded four times in seven matches.
Meanwhile, Brooklands MU and University of Durham both face crunch away matches in their bid to reach the top six before the Christmas break.
Both sides sit four points behind Oxted in sixth with three match weekends left before the mid-season outdoor break.
And their task this weekend is to overcome top four sides, with Durham set for an away trip to Hampstead & Westminster and Brooklands MU - who also face a double header this month with a game in hand - on the road at Wimbledon.
Beeston also need to win their remaining matches to stay in the hunt for a top six berth and also face an away matchday at Holcombe on Sunday.
The men's Premier Division will kick off on Saturday evening with an eagerly-anticipated clash between leaders Surbiton - unbeaten with a 100% so far - and Hampstead & Westminster, the first of the club's double header weekend.
In a battle of the bottom two, University of Exeter take on East Grinstead on Sunday, with both sides set for the bottom five split league in 2022.
- Surbiton v Hampstead & Westminster - 17:00 (Sat 13 Nov)
- Wimbledon v Brooklands MU - 18:30 (Sat 13 Nov)
- Hampstead & Westminster v University of Durham - 14:30
- Holcombe v Beeston - 14:00
- Old Georgians v Oxted - 13:00
- University of Exeter v East Grinstead - 14:00
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Cardiff & Met travel to Loughborough Students in Division One North on Saturday with the Welsh side out to end their rivals' perfect record so far.
In a crunch match between the top two sides, Cardiff can go top with victory as the two university rivals go head-to-head for bragging rights ahead of the winter break.
Meanwhile, third plays fourth when Bowdon travel to University of Nottingham, who lie three points behind Loughborough.
The bottom two sides can both kickstart their season when Sheffield Hallam host City of Peterborough, while Olton & West Warwicks will aim to close in on the top four with victory against University of Birmingham. The other game sees two sides without a win in a number of weeks go head-to-head when Cambridge City meet Deeside Ramblers.
- Deeside Ramblers v Cambridge City - 13:30
- Loughborough Students v Cardiff & Met - 14:00
- Sheffield Hallam v City of Peterborough - 14:30
- University of Birmingham v Olton & West Warwicks - 14:30
- University of Nottingham v Bowdon - 14:00
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There are more top-of-the-table encounters to relish in Division One South as Reading also aim to protect their seven-match winning run.
The runaway leaders are nine points ahead of Canterbury, with the two sides set to meet at Polo Farm. Sunday will also mark Canterbury's Presidents' Day.
Only two points separate second from sixth, with the four chasing sides - Team Bath Buccs, Old Cranleighan, Sevenoaks and Teddington - all playing each other on a blockbuster weekend.
Brighton & Hove and Southgate will both be aiming to catch up with those ahead of them when they meet, as will Oxford Hawks who host a Havant side yet to register a point this season.
- Brighton & Hove v Southgate - 13:00
- Canterbury v Reading - 13:00
- Oxford Hawks v Havant - TBC
- Sevenoaks v Old Cranleighan - 17:00 (Sat 13 Nov)
- Teddington v Team Bath Buccs - 13:45
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Richmond aim to keep up the pressure on table toppers Old Loughtonians when they visit bottom-placed Indian Gymkhana on Sunday.
Old Loughts hold a five-point lead and will bid to consolidate that when they travel to fifth-placed Spencer on Saturday. London Wayfarers, in third, could overtake Richmond should results fall their way and they overcome Bromley & Beckenham.
London Edwardians, currently fourth, could also move up the table with victory over Hampstead & Westminster 2s while Wapping and West Herts, both currently on seven points, meet in the late game on Saturday.
- Indian Gymkhana v Richmond - 14:00
- London Edwardians v Hampstead & Westminster 2s - 15:30 (Sat 13 Nov)
- London Wayfarers v Bromley & Beckenham - 14:30 (Sat 13 Nov)
- Spencer v Old Loughtonians - 13:30 (Sat 13 Nov)
- Wapping v West Herts - 18:00 (Sat 13 Nov)
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University of Birmingham 2s have yet to experience a win this season and will hope to stop the rot when they host Loughborough Town this weekend.
Second bottom Khalsa Leamington also have a home match in the form of Conference Midlands leaders Harborne, who have only dropped two points so far.
Barford Tigers will look to maintain their unbeaten form when they entertain Cambridge University, with third-placed Harleston Magpies away to Bedford. The only game being played on Saturday is St Albans against Lichfield.
- Barford Tigers v Cambridge University - 13:00
- Bedford v Harleston Magpies - 14:00
- Khalsa Leamington v Harborne - 13:30
- St Albans v Lichfield - 16:30 (Sat 13 Nov)
- University of Birmingham 2s v Loughborough Town - 12:30
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Doncaster, with the meanest defence in the Conference North, head to league leaders Belper on Sunday lunchtime as they look to make inroads on the top three clubs in the division.
Timperley, who have won their last three matches, head to Leeds, while Didsbury Northern, third on goal difference, travel to Beeston 2s.
Meanwhile, Preston will look to leapfrog second-bottom Wakefield when the two sides meet on Saturday and Alderley Edge face University of Durham 2s knowing victory would see them overtake the side from the north east in the table.
- Beeston 2s v Didsbury Northern - 14:00
- Belper v Doncaster - 12:15
- Leeds v Timperley - 18:00 (Sat 13 Nov)
- Preston v Wakefield - 14:00 (Sat 13 Nov)
- University of Durham 2s v Alderley Edge - 14:00 (Sat 13 Nov)
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The Conference West remains a tight affair with six points the difference between first and seventh. In-form Fareham, unbeaten in four, head to Ashmoor while free-scoring Isca will aim to overturn two successive defeats when they travel to Chichester.
Cheltenham, who finally secured a first win last weekend after six straight losses, head to Clifton Robinsons under Friday night lights.
University of Exeter 2s will be hoping to emulate that feat - having drawn four and lost three so far in 2021/22 - when they host University of Bristol, while Plymouth Marjon aiming to halt their losing streak against Cardiff University.
- Ashmoor v Fareham - 13:00
- Cardiff University v Plymouth Marjon - 14:00
- Chichester v Isca - 14:00
- Clifton Robinsons v Cheltenham - 20:00 (Fri 12 Nov)
- University of Exeter 2s v University of Bristol - 12:00