England Hockey Leagues
07 April 2022

Preview: European Qualification and Top Scorer Honours Up For Grabs

Image: Eva Gilbert

Rod Gilmour from The Hockey Paper gives you a run down of what to look out for in this weekend's matches in the Vitality Women's Hockey League Premier Division.

Surbiton have of course secured the title, meaning that European qualification is now the most pressing issue for the teams below them. There is also a two-way tie in the bid to end the season as the Division's top goalscorer.

With thanks to Galvanised Hockey we've also got the best video highlights from last weekend's top flight fixtures below.

: To see full fixtures, results and tables from across the country, click here.
Some statistics in the below previews were compiled using the help of Colin Pike/Hockey World News' media guide.
: The race for Europe reaches the final lap this weekend, with three clubs chasing the second automatic place for continental competition next season.
Surbiton secured their eighth Vitality Women's Premier Division title in a row last weekend and face a final home Top 6 fixture against Wimbledon, who head the three-way tussle for the second European berth.
As it stands, Wimbledon are on 38 points, Hampstead & Westminster 37 and East Grinstead 36. Victory for Wimbledon will rubber stamp the Londoners’ passage to Europe in their first full season in England Hockey’s top flight.
Suzy Petty, who joined Wimbledon in 2016, said: “We have to go for the victory. If we win it's in our hands.”
Wimbledon have won six from nine since Christmas, while they lost to Surbiton 1-0 at home in February and drew 1-1 in the corresponding fixture at Sugden Road in October, a match which marked their first meeting in league competition.
“Everyone is really excited and it will be a huge day,” added Petty, who will be 30 on Saturday. “The fact that we are vying for a European spot in our first full season is pretty cool. Surbiton will be going at this game like any other and will come out all guns blazing.”
Brett Garrard, Surbiton’s coach, said that his side will be aiming to finish the season on a high ahead of their Euro Hockey League campaign next week.
He said: “I’ve billed it since Christmas as 10 Cup finals, this is number 10 and there will be no let up. We let ourselves down when we played Hampstead & Westminster [losing 2-0 in their last home game] and I was very pleased we managed to dig deep last weekend.
“It will be an important league game first and foremost and a final preparation before the EHL next week. We need to do our best because it’s the final fixture and we need to do it in the spirit of what everyone else is fighting for.”
There are several permutations if Surbiton prevail on Saturday. Should either Hampstead & Westminster or East Grinstead win at Paddington Rec, then one of them will finish above Wimbledon. With a healthy goal difference of at least 13 better than their rivals, a draw will likely be good enough for Wimbledon if East Grinstead beat H&W.
Kate Richardson-Walsh and Sarah Kelleher’s side beat East Grinstead 3-2 back in September - Sophie Bray has scored in each of their three previous visits - before EG won 3-0 at home in February.
East Grinstead coach Mary Booth, on the back of three defeats in a row, said: “We were disappointed after Saturday [1-0 defeat to champions Surbiton] as we played exceptionally well and we lost to Beeston and Clifton when it was in our hands.
“This weekend is a Cup final, it’s winner takes all and it would be superb to play in Europe.”
The final Top 6 match of the weekend sees Beeston take on Clifton Robinsons at 2pm.
Beeston have shown some great form since the league restart, despite falling short of fighting for a European spot.
The Nottingham side have won their last three fixtures and have proved a real handful against the Premier Division elite.
James Sordillo, Beeston’s coach, said: “We’ve had a really good second half of the season. We’ve done a lot of building and we knew it was time to raise our standards.
“We aimed to have an impact and to challenge the more traditional top sides. It’s all coming together and gives us a really good platform moving forwards.”
Beeston will be aiming for a hat-trick of victories over Clifton this season. Clifton have won just once at Nottingham Hockey Centre.
Meanwhile, in the battle for top goalscorer honours, Surbiton’s Darcy Bourne and East Grinstead’s Bray are both level on 18 goals apiece.
For the second-placed team in the Women's Premier Division, it is yet to be determined which European competition they will be entered for. At the moment, it hinges on European ranking points for two clubs to be entered into the EHL, while the format for next season is yet to be finalised.
Sat 9 Apr (all 2pm)
Beeston v Clifton Robinsons
Hampstead & Westminster v East Grinstead
Surbiton v Wimbledon
: In the Bottom 5, there are two matchday weekends remaining.
Leaders University of Birmingham are unbeaten in eight stretching back to November as they prepare to host Holcombe. Their two matches this season have both finished in draws.
Buckingham take on Loughborough Students at Stowe School. Buckingham have also enjoyed late-season form; following defeat to Birmingham in February they have won four of their last five.
Already-relegated Swansea have a rest weekend before the final round of fixtures on 23 April.
Sat 9 Apr
12pm Buckingham v Loughborough Students
2:30pm University of Birmingham v Holcombe