Vitality Women’s Hockey League Premier Division Review – 20/21 November 2021
With one round of matches to play, the top six teams in the Vitality Women’s Hockey League Premier Division have been decided.
Beeston and Clifton Robinsons booked their places to complete the top six line-up for the second half of the season.
Beeston won 4-2 at Swansea after leading 3-0 at half time, Cerys Miller scoring from open play in the sixth minute, Charlotte Summers doubling the lead with a 14th minute penalty corner conversion and Hannah Grieve scoring the third from the penalty spot four minutes before the break. Lauren Burrell extended Beeston’s lead in the 41st minute from open play, but Swansea’s Beth Wood converted penalty corners in the 55th and 57th minutes to make the score more respectable.
Clifton Robinsons lost 2-1 at home to Wimbledon after Catherine Macaulay opened the scoring from open play in the eighth minute. Fiona Crackles levelled three minutes before half time from a penalty corner with the winner coming courtesy of Sarah Jones’ open play goal in the 58th minute.
Although Clifton lost, their top six place was assured after Loughborough Students and the University of Birmingham could only draw 1-1. Emma Allroggen put the University of Birmingham ahead in the 17th minute from open play, Kirby Harris levelling in the same manner with fifteen minutes to play.
At the top of the table, leaders Hampstead & Westminster had the weekend off and saw their lead cut to six points by both East Grinstead and Surbiton
East Grinstead had to come from behind to win 3-2 at Buckingham on Saturday after trailing 2-0 after just eight minutes, Jo Pinner breaking the deadlock from open play in the fifth minute and Megan Lewis-Williams adding a second from a penalty corner three minutes later.
East Grinstead responded quickly, Autumn Bowden pulling a goal back in the ninth minute and the comeback was completed in the second half, Chloe Brown equalising in the 51st minute from a penalty stroke and Robyn Bentley netting the winner from open play four minutes later.
Bentley was also on target at home to Surbiton on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Surbiton coming from behind to win 2-1. Bentley gave East Grinstead a 26th minute open play lead, but Surbiton’s Leah Wilkinson equalised from a penalty corner at the end of the first half, then won the game with a 48th minute penalty corner conversion.
Surbiton had won 3-1 at Holcombe on Saturday, Darcy Bourne giving Surbiton a 1-0 half time lead thanks to her 30th minute open play goal. Holcombe levelled in the 41st minute, Tania Escaich converting a penalty corner. Open play goals from Meg Dowthwaite in the 52nd minute and Sophie Hamilton on the hour, put Surbiton on the path to move into third place above Wimbledon following their victory on Sunday.
Weekend Media guide available here
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Hampstead & Westminster | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 27 |
| 2 | East Grinstead | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 11 | 16 | 21 |
| 3 | Surbiton | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 21 |
| 4 | Wimbledon | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 31 | 10 | 21 | 20 |
| 5 | Beeston | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 16 | -1 | 13 |
| 6 | Clifton Robinsons | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 12 |
| 7 | University of Birmingham | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 21 | -10 | 7 |
| 8 | Loughborough Students | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 27 | -14 | 7 |
| 9 | Buckingham | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 6 |
| 10 | Holcombe | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 17 | -10 | 5 |
| 11 | Swansea | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 27 | -18 | 1 |