Vitality Women’s Hockey League Premier Division Review – 6/7 November 2021
East Grinstead had to come from behind to beat Wimbledon at Saint Hill. Former East Grinstead player, Lucy Holder put Wimbledon ahead in the 27th minute from open play, but Sophie Bray equalised from open play with her sixth goal of the campaign two minutes before half time and Autumn Bowden scored the winner with another open play goal in the 46th minute.
Wimbledon had mixed fortunes as they followed up the defeat with an 8-0 home thrashing of Loughborough Students on Sunday. Loughborough were stunned as they fell 3-0 behind after just eight minutes, Kate Maxey’s penalty corner brace in the 3rd and 5th minutes followed by Sarah Jones’ 8th minute open play effort.
Olivia Chilton added a fourth goal in the 25th minute with Jones scoring her second goal of the match just before half time, both goals from open play. Jones completed her hat-trick of open play goals in the 37th minute to join Bray as the division’s leading goalscorer. Hollie Pearne-Webb made it 7-0 in the 48th minute and Holder scored her second goal of the weekend, both goals yet again coming from open play, with six minutes to play to complete the rout.
Loughborough had beaten Swansea 2-1 on Saturday, Maddie Goodman scoring both their goals from open play in the 22nd and 25th minutes, the Welsh club’s response coming through Bethan Collier in the 42nd minute.
Hampstead & Westminster maintained their nine point lead over East Grinstead at the top of the Vitality Women’s Hockey League Premier Division, but needed Melanie Wilkinson’s 63rd minute penalty corner conversion to beat Beeston 1-0 at Paddington Recreation Ground and secure their eighth win of the season.
Surbiton, without a game, dropped to fourth and were joined on twelve points by Clifton Robinsons, courtesy of Carmen Ansley’s penalty corner eight minutes from the end which gave the Bristol club a 1-0 home win over the University of Birmingham.
Holcombe finally secured their first win of the season, but needed two late goals from Candice Manuel for a 2-1 win at Buckingham, who have now lost three games in a row after staying unbeaten for their first five matches. Jo Pinner gave Buckingham a 52nd minute lead from open play, but Manuel levelled in the 59th minute from a penalty corner before stabbing home the winner from open play in the 63rd minute.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Hampstead & Westminster | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 24 |
| 2 | East Grinstead | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 15 |
| 3 | Wimbledon | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 8 | 16 | 14 |
| 4 | Surbiton | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 12 |
| 5 | Clifton Robinsons | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| 6 | Beeston | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 7 |
| 7 | University of Birmingham | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 6 |
| 8 | Buckingham | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 6 |
| 9 | Loughborough Students | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 22 | -12 | 6 |
| 10 | Holcombe | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 14 | -8 | 5 |
| 11 | Swansea | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 20 | -13 | 1 |
Full Media Guide available here