Surbiton will have all five of their European gold medal winners on board for their first fixture of the National Premier Division season against Bowdon in Cheshire on Sunday.
It will the first time they have all featured since England’s 18-man squad lifted the European Cup with a thrilling 5-3 win over world top-ranked Germany in Amsterdam at the end of August.
Three of them – Ben Hawes, Rob Moore and James Tindall – did play when the Elmbridge club, who finished fifth last season, completed their preparations for the new campaign with a 2-1 win at runners-up Reading on Sunday.
With England squad mate Matt Daly having turned out in Surbiton’s 5-2 penultimate pre-season friendly home win over newly-promoted University of Exeter on Saturday the previous week, only Richard Alexander has not turned out since Amsterdam.
A 10th-minute penalty corner gave Reading the lead last weekend.
But Alberto Esteban, one of Surbiton’s two new Spanish signings, equalised two minutes into the second half.
Six minutes later, captain Tim Pinnock dragflicked from a penalty corner what turned out to be the winner.
Other new signings in action for Surbiton were Alejandro Inglesias, signed from Club de Campo, Mike Houlihan (Southgate), Sam Middleton (Bournville) and keeper Chris Bristow (Havant).
This season’s top five Premier League clubs will play in a new post-season play-off to determine the three Euro League places on offer.
Surbiton start their quest for qualification against a Bowdon side who finished eighth last season, just avoiding the relegation play-offs.
Surbiton won 5-4 at Sugden Road and 4-1 in Cheshire last season.
Surbiton Ladies have another week of practice ahead of their South Clubs’ Women’s Hockey League Division One campaign.
Last Saturday, they went down to a disappointing 3-2 at Teddington, from two divisions below, having conceded two goals in the opening nine minutes.
Missing five of the players who played in the 4-1 win at Epsom the previous week, Surbiton’s scorers were Minnie James (penalty corner) and Lizzie Sedgman (open play).
Surbiton Ladies play Teddington at St George’s College, Weybridge, on Wednesday (8pm).
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