- England Hockey Leagues
Preview: League Leaders Old Georgians Face Third-Placed Wimbledon In Men's Premier Division
Photo credit: Sam Ward
Rod Gilmour from The Hockey Paper previews this weekends fixtures across the Men's and Vitality Women's Hockey Leagues.
There's an intriguing clash between two of the three teams at the top of the Men's Premier Division, with the top two also going head-to-head in Men's Division One North.
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 30 October and all men's matches will take place on Sunday 31 October.
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Loughborough Students may be sitting third from bottom in the Vitality Women's Premier Division but there is still all to play for in the battle for a top six place before the mid-season break.
Loughborough have games in hand after their four matches so far this season, with one win to their name, and host league leaders Hampstead & Westminster on Saturday.
The Students sit three points behind sixth-placed Buckingham, who have played a game more, with qualification for a spot in the top six split league after Christmas still very much in the offing.
Despite losing 5-4 to Clifton Robinsons last weekend in one of this season's most entertaining games so far, Loughborough will be buoyed by their second-half comeback when they were 4-0 down. However, Brett Holland's side will have to be at their defensive and attacking best against the Londoners.
Holcombe, currently second from bottom, host East Grinstead as the Medway side search for their first victory of the season.
Swansea, who have lost their last four matches, are also at home to Surbiton, who remain unbeaten this season.
Elsewhere, Buckingham travel to Beeston while Wimbledon entertain University of Birmingham.
- Beeston v Buckingham - 14:00
- Holcombe v East Grinstead - 14:00
- Loughborough Students v Hampstead & Westminster - 14:00
- Swansea v Surbiton - 14:00
- Wimbledon v University of Birmingham - 14:00
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Top plays bottom on Saturday as leaders Bowdon Hightown, who hold a 100 per cent record from five matches, host out-of-form Belper.
Bowdon, bidding to regain their Premier Division place, stole a march at the top after University of Nottingham drew last weekend. The university side are at home to Ben Rhydding this weekend.
Elsewhere, Brooklands Poynton travel to University of Durham looking for the first win in four. Stourport, in fourth, face a trip to Leicester City while Olton & West Warwicks and Gloucester City both vie for much-needed victories.
- Olton & West Warwicks v Gloucester City - 12:00
- University of Durham v Brooklands Poynton - 12:00
- Ben Rhydding v University of Nottingham - 13:30
- Bowdon Hightown v Belper - 13:30
- Leicester City v Stourport - 15:00
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Trojans, who remain the only team without a win in Division One South, play host to in-form Reading as the Hampshire outfit set about attempting to rectify their start to the season.
Leaders Sevenoaks and Cambridge City meet, with the latter aiming to overturn a run of three matches without full points.
Meanwhile, Canterbury and Isca face off, Slough aim to make it three in a row when they meet Wimbledon 2s and Surbiton 2s and Harleston Magpies push back at Sugden Road.
- Trojans v Reading - 12:00
- Slough v Wimbledon 2s - 12:30
- Sevenoaks v Cambridge City - 13:30
- Surbiton 2s v Harleston Magpies - 13:30
- Canterbury v Isca - 14:00
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The lead could change come Saturday afternoon when table-toppers London Wayfarers face second-placed Southgate in the match of the weekend in the Conference East.
Barnes could leapfrog both rivals if results go their way and they beat East London on the road, while fourth-placed Horsham travel to Hampstead & Westminster 2s.
In the lower half of the table, Canterbury 2s head west to Bromley & Beckenham while the bottom two sides, Chelmsford and Ipswich, also push back against each other.
Hampstead & Westminster 2s v Horsham - 12:00
Bromley & Beckenham v Canterbury 2s - 12:30
London Wayfarers v Southgate - 12:30
Chelmsford v Ipswich - 15:00
East London v Barnes - 18:00
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Unbeaten Sutton Coldfield hope to maintain their stranglehold at the top of the Conference Midlands with a home tie with University of Birmingham 2s.
In-form Bedford, currently second, take on Broxbourne while there are only five points separating the side in third and bottom club Khalsa Leamington, who host Beeston 2s.
Elsewhere, Cannock clash with Loughborough Students 2s and St Albans and Oxford University both meet.
- Cannock v Loughborough Students 2s - 12:00
- Khalsa Leamington v Beeston 2s - 12:00
- Sutton Coldfield v University of Birmingham 2s - 12:00
- St Albans v Oxford University - 13:00
- Bedford v Broxbourne - 13:30
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League leaders Timperley, who dropped their first points last weekend, head north to Pendle Forest as they look to keep their title bid on track.
Wakefield, unbeaten in three matches, host second-placed Doncaster while Fylde are at home Neston, who are aiming to stop a run of four losses.
Meanwhile, University of Durham 2s, full of confidence after beating Timperley, play Didsbury Northern and Alderley Edge meet Leeds.
- Pendle Forest v Timperley - 11:30
- Fylde v Neston - 13:30
- Alderley Edge v Leeds - 14:00
- Wakefield v Doncaster - 15:30
- Didsbury Northern v University of Durham 2s - 16:00
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Bristol Firebrands face a stern test of their title credentials when they travel to Exe this weekend.
Exe have won their last three while Firebrands' draw with Clifton Robinsons 2s has given the latter some renewed confidence ahead of their trip to Oxford Hawks.
Meanwhile, rivals University of Bristol and Team Bath Buccs push back at 13:30, in-form Witney head to Basingstoke and Penarth and Cheltenham also meet.
- Oxford Hawks v Clifton Robinsons 2s - 12:00
- Exe v Bristol Firebrands - 13:00
- University of Bristol v Team Bath Buccs - 13:30
- Basingstoke v Witney - 14:00
- Penarth v Cheltenham - 14:30
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Two of the three clubs sitting atop the Men's Premier Division meet in an eagerly-anticipated clash in south London this weekend.
Wimbledon host Old Georgians, leaders by virtue of goal difference, with both sides heading into the Saturday evening clash with five successive wins behind them.
Wimbledon lost their opening game of the season but have found their form - despite missing danger man Liam Ansell to injury pre-season - and could end the weekend leading the top flight.
Old Georgians have four returning internationals back from FIH World Cup qualifying duties, while England international Chris Griffiths is set to return early next month.
Mike Hughes, Old Georgians’ coach, said: “It will be a great test for us. All our pre-season games are absolute belters against Wimbledon and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Second-placed Surbiton will look to dent their London rivals' hopes, however, as they face bottom-side University of Exeter.
The west country side have yet to pick up a point after a luckless start to the season, along with East Grinstead, who cross counties to Kent and take on Holcombe.
Meanwhile, Beeston will aim to make it two wins on the bounce when they travel to University of Durham.
Brooklands MU are also at home and host Hampstead & Westminster on Sunday afternoon. A win will keep them in the hunt for a top six place with five games remaining before the Christmas break.
- Wimbledon v Old Georgians - 18:00 (Sat 30 Oct)
- University of Durham v Beeston - 13:30
- Brooklands MU v Hampstead & Westminster - 14:00
- Holcombe v East Grinstead - 14:00
- Surbiton v University of Exeter - 14:30
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The two teams with a 100% record in Division 1 North push back against each other in the tie of the weekend.
University of Nottingham have home advantage when they face Loughborough Students, with both chasing a sixth win on the trot.
Meanwhile, third-placed Cardiff & Met, who were missing several players to Wales duty in their draw last weekend, play Deeside Ramblers. Cambridge City host Bowdon, City of Peterborough entertain Olton & West Warwickshire and University of Birmingham travel to Sheffield Hallam.
- Cardiff & Met v Deeside Ramblers - 12:30
- Cambridge City v Bowdon - 13:30
- City of Peterborough v Olton & West Warwicks - 14:00
- University of Nottingham v Loughborough Students - 14:00
- Sheffield Hallam v University of Birmingham - 14:30
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Free-scoring Reading will aim to continue their fine unbeaten start to the season when they take on Sevenoaks, in third, at the weekend.
Canterbury, looking for a fourth win in succession, travel to Old Cranleighan, while Southgate will try to stop a run of three defeats when they host Havant.
Elsewhere, Teddington are at home to Oxford Hawks and Team Bath Buccaneers host Brighton & Hove.
- Teddington v Oxford Hawks - 13:45 (Sat 30 Oct)
- Old Cranleighan v Canterbury - 18:00 (Sat 30 Oct)
- Reading v Sevenoaks - 18:30 (Sat 30 Oct)
- Team Bath Buccs v Brighton & Hove - 13:00
- Southgate v Havant - 14:30
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London Edwardians are at home to Spencer as they attempt to keep up the pressure on leaders Old Lougtonians at the top of Conference East.
The unbeaten table toppers travel to Indian Gymkhana, while third-placed Richmond are at London Wayfarers.
The other two matches see Hampstead & Westminster 2s host Wapping and West Herts at home Bromley & Beckenham.
- Hampstead & Westminster 2s v Wapping - 14:00 (Sat 30 Oct)
- London Wayfarers v Richmond - 14:30 (Sat 30 Oct)
- London Edwardians v Spencer - 17:30 (Sat 30 Oct)
- West Herts v Bromley & Beckenham - 13:30
- Indian Gymkhana v Old Loughtonians - 14:00
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Barford Tigers and Harborne both have home encounters as they bid to keep their unbeaten starts to the season firmly alive in the Conference Midlands.
Barford face Lichfield while Harborne entertain University of Birmingham 2s, who have lost four of their five matches thus far.
Elsewhere, Khalsa Leamington are at Cambridge University, Loughborough Town host Bedford and St Albans are on the road at Harleston Magpies.
- Harleston Magpies v St Albans - 16:30 (Sat 30 Oct)
- Loughborough Town v Bedford - 12:30
- Barford Tigers v Lichfield - 13:00
- Cambridge University v Khalsa Leamington - 13:30
- Harborne v University of Birmingham 2s - 14:30
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Belper, who hold a two-point advantage at the top of Conference North, play host to Preston on Sunday.
Second-placed Didsbury Northern, who have drawn their last two matches, go to Doncaster, while Timperley are aiming for back-to-back wins when University of Durham 2s visit.
In other matches, Beeston 2s host Wakefield and Alderley Edge are at home to Leeds in a cross-Pennine encounter.
- Alderley Edge v Leeds - 16:30 (Sat 30 Oct)
- Timperley v University of Durham 2s - 18:00 (Sat 30 Oct)
- Belper v Preston - 12:15
- Beeston 2s v Wakefield - 14:00
- Doncaster v Didsbury Northern - 14:00
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Isca's attacking prowess has kept them top of the Conference West on goal difference, with three clubs vying for the outright lead.
They have a home clash with Cardiff University on Sunday, while a local derby sees Clifton Robinsons host University of Bristol.
Ashmoor, with four straight wins, are on the road at Chichester, Cheltenham face Fareham and Plymouth Marjon host University of Exeter 2s.
- Cheltenham v Fareham - 12:30
- Isca v Cardiff University - 13:00
- Plymouth Marjon v University of Exeter 2s - 13:00
- Chichester v Ashmoor - 14:00
- Clifton Robinsons v University of Bristol - 14:00