By Lucas Ball
Holcombe are looking to return to winning ways and extend their unbeaten run to six matches as they host Kent rivals Canterbury on Saturday afternoon (2pm) in the Vitality Division One South.
Nick Bandurak’s side are second in the table, five points behind unbeaten Surbiton 2s and ahead of Barnes on goal difference. Canterbury sit three points further back in fifth, behind another Kent side in Sevenoaks on goal difference.
Jade van der Zwan will be hoping to get on the scoresheet again having scored her first Holcombe goal against the Buccaneers, while Deanna Ritchie will be looking to continue her goalscoring form – another brace on Saturday made it eight goaals in four games for the New Zealander.
Tilly Tillings, still searching for her first Holcombe goal, will be relishing the chance to face her former club having moved from Canterbury to join up with Bandurak’s side in the summer.
The visitors are the lowest scorers in the division with just seven goals in six matches, also conceding seven – giving them the second-best defensive record, with Holcombe having conceded two more. The hosts, though, have scored almost three times as many goals as Canterbury, with 19 strikes.
The two sides have not met in a competitive outdoor fixture since 2018/19, when Holcombe finished top of the Premier Division table and Canterbury rock bottom. Holcombe won 2-1 at Holcombe Park in October, courtesy of goals from Sofia Viarengo and Dirkie Chamberlain.
Entry at Holcombe Park is free on Saturday. The match will be streamed on Veo Live and updates posted on our social media channels.
Image: Becci Woodhead