A National League Hockey Club, part of Holcombeians Sports Club

Men’s Premier Division preview – Match Day 10

By Lucas Ball

Holcombe travel to Southgate on Saturday (18:00) looking for a fifth consecutive Premier Division win after triumphs over East Grinstead, Bowdon, Richmond and Oxted in recent weeks.

With leaders Old Georgians meeting second-placed Surbiton, Holcs also know that a win could see them move into second if they win and Surbiton drop points with a Top Six spot already secured.

Kwan Browne’s side have scored 25 goals in their last five matches, including 13 in their last two, and will hope to condemn Southgate to a seventh defeat in 10 so far this season, the London side currently sitting just above the relegation zone on five points compared to Richmond’s four.

A win for the hosts, though, could see them move up to ninth, above East Grinstead.

Former Southgate men Teague Marcano and Matt Ramshaw are Holcombe’s two top-scorers so far this campaign – Marcano has 11 while Ramshaw is on nine.

Alex Pendle has also scored two in two while Tom Russell has been amongst the goals – Felix Tully also scored his first two Holcombe goals last time out.

Holcs are the third top-scorers with 39 in nine, behind only the top two and have conceded 20 with one clean sheet kept – Southgate have scored 16 and conceded 33.

Archie Foster will be the main threat for the hosts given his recent form – he has seven goals in the last six games.

Last season, the two sides met twice – both times at the Southgate Hockey Centre.

Holcombe ran out 5-2 winners in an enthralling Phase One encounter, before winning 3-0 in Phase Two with 13 players making the trip amid an injury crisis.

Following this weekend’s games, just one more Phase One match day looms with five teams already secured in the Top Six and two already guaranteed to be in the Lower Six.

Oxted, Beeston and Cardiff & Met look to be the main contenders for that spot – Oxted currently occupy sixth with 11 points, with Beeston a point back and Cardiff on nine points.

Both East Grinstead and Southgate, though, could manage to make it into the Top Six depending on other results if they were to win both matches.

Despite that, the biggest match of the weekend comes at St. George’s College as champions and leaders Old Georgians take on Barry Middleton’s Surbiton.

Old Georgians sit top with nine wins from nine having scored 63 goals and conceded just 13.

Surbiton are four points further back and are yet to lose so far this season – they could move to within a point of the leaders if they repeat last season’s win away to Ashley Jackson’s side.

Oxted face perhaps the toughest match of the three main teams chasing a Top Six spot as they host Hampstead & Westminster, both sides looking to bounce back after respective five-goal defeats last time out – Oxted lost 7-2 to Holcombe while Hampstead lost 5-0 to Old Georgians.

Beeston will perhaps expect to move into pole position for that Top Six spot having narrowly missed out in the last to seasons.

They host winless Bowdon who sit bottom looking to build on an exciting 4-4 draw at Saint Hill against East Grinstead last time out.

Bowdon, meanwhile, could move just a point behind Richmond if they were to earn their first Premier Division win since promotion back to the top-flight.

Cardiff & Met face a tricky encounter against East Grinstead as both sides look to keep their own Top Six hopes alive.

The Welsh side have lost their last three since beating Richmond 7-0 but have faced Old Georgians, Hampstead & Westminster and Wimbledon in those fixtures.

East Grinstead are five without a win after last weekend’s draw, losing in four consecutive weeks to the current top-four prior to that game against Beeston.

Wimbledon travel to Richmond looking to make it nine games unbeaten since their opening day defeat at Holcombe Park.

The Wombles have faltered slightly with two draws in their last four but beat Cardiff & Met 5-0 last weekend.

Richmond are still looking for a second Premier Division win and know victory could potentially take them above Southgate if Huw Stevens’ side were to drop points this weekend.

Image: Eva Gilbert