By Lucas Ball
Holcombe are looking to return to winning ways as second-placed Surbiton head to Holcombe Park on Saturday (6pm).
Old Georgians beat Holcombe 3-2 last time out, with Holcs not in action last weekend as opponents Wimbledon were in Austria competing in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Cup.
The leaders also beat Surbiton 4-2 at Sugden Road in their last match to open up a three-point gap at the top.
Barry Middleton’s side are currently level on points with Wimbledon in third, ahead of the Londoners on goal difference. A win on Saturday would put them within three points of Surbiton with a game-in-hand.
Holcombe won 3-2 at Sugden Road in Phase One, courtesy of a Phil Roper double either side of a Nick Bandurak goal. Gareth Furlong scored twice for the hosts.
Surbiton have notched 67 times in 13 matches compared to 56 in 12 for Holcombe, while Mark Pearn’s side have conceded three more than Holcombe with 18 compared to 15 for Middleton’s men.
The two sides met three times in the 2022/23 season, both sides winning one with a 2-2 draw early on in Phase One. Surbiton won 3-2 at Sugden Road in Phase Two before Holcombe beat Pearn’s side 2-1 at the same venue on League Finals weekend to qualify for the Euro Hockey League and set up a final meeting with Old Georgians.
Both sides are hoping to get back to winning ways after defeats last time out, with Middleton’s side also in midweek action as they travel to face Wimbledon on Thursday (29th, 8pm) at Raynes Park High School.
Entry is free at Holcombe Park on Saturday and updates will be provided across Holcombe’s social media channels.
Other Premier Division Phase Two Top Six fixtures (Saturday, 24th February):
5:00pm – Southgate vs. Wimbledon
5:45pm – Hampstead & Westminster vs. Old Georgians
Image: Eva Gilbert