Pensions Men's Hockey League, Sunday 15 February 2014
14th February 2014PROMOTED to the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League Premier Division for the first time last season, Wimbledon could climb into the top four if they beat second-placed Reading on Sunday.
After winning the NOW: Pensions Conference East last term, Wimbledon have stormed the Premier Division, and currently lay fifth having won half of their league games so far – including a shock win over leaders Beeston.
Wimbledon manager Ben Marsden said: “It’s going to be a tough game for us, but it’s one that we’re looking forward to.
“We played really well against Surbiton and were unlucky not to get the win last weekend, so we’re hoping to carry that form into the match against Reading.
“We’re very happy with the way we’ve been playing, the momentum we’ve had and the way we’ve stepped up to our first season in the Premier Division as a club.
“At the start of the season our basic objective was survival, but we had dreams of a place in the top five. It’s great to be there, but it’s going to be tough to hold that position.”
After having drawn with Wimbledon 4-4 last weekend, Surbiton will want to preserve their spot in the top four when they entertain leaders Beeston.
Canterbury play host to Cannock and Sheffield Hallam entertain Loughborough Students in the day’s other matches. East Grinstead versus Hampstead and Westminster is not being played this weekend as East Grinstead are hosting and playing in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Champions Cup this weekend.
The new leaders of the NOW: Pensions Conference West, Indian Gymkhana take on Havant at Thornbury Avenue, while Team Bath Buccaneers will want to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat when they host the University of Exeter.
Having moved up to second spot following last weekend’s win over West Bridgford, Bowdon have top spot in their sights when they go to Khalsa in the NOW: Pensions Conference North. Meanwhile leaders Brooklands Manchester University play host to Belper.
Leaders Holcombe face a tough test in the NOW: Pensions Conference East, with Teddington providing the opposition on Sunday. Elsewhere, second-placed Southgate head to Richmond and will go top if they win and Holcombe lose.
* The League Committee has directed that last Saturday's postponed Hampstead & Westminster versus Sheffield Hallam match should be played at Sheffield. The game will be played at Abbeydale on the slip date of 22 February 2014, time to be notified in next Monday's Newsletter.
League Finals Weekend
The winners of the NOW: Pensions Men’s Hockey League and the Investec Women’s Hockey League will be crowned over two action-packed weekends at Reading Hockey Club in April. The top four Premier Division teams qualify for their respective finals weekends, laying off against each other to be crowned league champions.
The men’s finals will take place on the 5-6 April while the women will battle it out a week later from 12-13 April.