Men’s Hockey League Premier Division Review – 6/7 November 2021
Oxted are protecting sixth place after an eight-goal home thriller with Brooklands Manchester University. Brooklands led 2-0 after just five minutes, Andrew Jackson scoring from a penalty corner in the third minute and open play two minutes later. Oxted fought back to draw level by halftime, Mark Galloway scoring in the 17th minute and Peter Friend equalising in the 34th, before going ahead immediately after the halftime break through Nick Giles’ open play effort. Leo Watton restored parity with a 43rd-minute penalty corner before Sam Driver seemed to have clinched all three points for Oxted in the 53rd minute through open play. However, Brooklands’ penalty corner routine worked wonders in the final minute with Peter Flanagan rescuing a point.
Wimbledon and Surbiton played musical chairs with the lead at the top of the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division over the weekend.
Wimbledon went top temporarily on Saturday night thanks to their 4-2 win at East Grinstead. Ian Sloan gave Wimbledon the lead in the 12th minute and Peter Scott doubled it five minutes later, both goals coming from open play. Ben Mackey immediately responded with an 18th-minute penalty corner conversion and Jamie Wallace equalised in the 24th minute from open play to give Wimbledon plenty to think about.
Ed Horler was Wimbledon’s second-half hero converting penalty corners in the 49th and 68th minutes to give them a three-point lead over Surbiton.
Surbiton just needed to win to return to the top and they did so in style with a 5-1 victory at Beeston. Surbiton led 2-0 at the break, Ben Boon opening the scoring in the 12th minute and Jamie Golden scoring six minutes later, both goals coming from open play. David Goodfield added a third open play goal in the 44th minute before Golden snatched his second goal of the game from a penalty corner in the 49th minute.
Rob Farrington scored Surbiton’s fifth goal in the 56th minute, Sam Apoola scoring what turned out to be a consolation goal for the Nottingham club ten minutes from time.
Old Georgians stayed within three points of the top two and taught Hampstead & Westminster a five-star lesson with a 5-0 win at Paddington Recreation Ground. James Tindall broke the deadlock in the 12th minute and Tom Carson converted a 21st-minute penalty corner to leave Hampstead trailing 2-0 at halftime.
Ed Carson made it three in the 46th minute from open play, with Ashley Jackson scoring from the penalty spot two minutes later to stun the hosts. Tom Carson ended the agony in the 59th minute, this time from open play to leave Hampstead ten points off the pace.
Holcombe had moved up to fifth on Saturday with a 7-2 win at the University of Exeter. Holcombe led 3-1 after just twelve minutes, Nick Bandurak quickly picking up a brace from open play in the second minute and the penalty spot in the fourth. Rhys Bradshaw pulled a goal back for Exeter from open play in the 7th minute, only for Barry Middleton to respond in the same manner in the 12th.
Max Lowrey reduced Exeter’s deficit to 3-2 with an 23rd-minute open play goal, but Holcombe led 5-2 at the interval, Robert Field converting a penalty corner on the half-hour and Hayden Phillips scoring from open play a minute before halftime. Holcombe then struck twice in the last three minutes, Phillips netting in the 67th and Harry Trusler in the 69th, two open play goals making the final score 7-2.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Surbiton | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 9 | 32 | 21 |
| 2 | Wimbledon | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 9 | 20 | 21 |
| 3 | Old Georgians | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 4 | 25 | 18 |
| 4 | Hampstead & Westminster | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 16 | -1 | 11 |
| 5 | Holcombe | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 10 |
| 6 | Oxted | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 22 | -8 | 10 |
| 7 | Brooklands MU | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 22 | -8 | 6 |
| 8 | University of Durham | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 26 | -19 | 6 |
| 9 | Beeston | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 21 | -8 | 5 |
| 10 | East Grinstead | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 28 | -18 | 1 |
| 11 | University of Exeter | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 29 | -20 | 0 |
Full weekend Media Guide available here