Teddington Ladies 3 Surbiton Ladies 2

Surbiton Ladies 2 Teddington Ladies 4

Continuing their preparation for their first season in South Clubs’ Women’s Hockey League Division One, Surbiton suffered two disappointing defeats against Division Two side Teddington this week in their final two pre-season games. In the first match, and missing five of the players who played in the 4-1 win at Epsom the previous week, including goalscorers Emma Jones, Sian Craze and Helen Grant, Surbiton quickly fell behind to open-play goals from Becky Withycombe in the seventh minute and Harmsworth two minutes later.

Teddington then carelessly conceded a penalty corner in the 10th minute and, with Surbiton’s penalty corner specialist, Jones, absent, Minnie James took on the challenge, building on experience gained last season to strike the ball with confidence past the Teddington goalkeeper, and reduce the home team’s lead to 2-1.

The first game was played over three periods of 22 minutes, with Teddington still leading 2-1 after the first period. In the second period, Michelle Mitchell scored the only goal in the 34th minute to extend Teddington’s lead to 3-1.

Surbiton were finally able to put together passing moves in the third period, resulting in Lizzie Sedgman scoring her first goal for Surbiton from open play with 15 minutes remaining.

SURBITON LADIES: Bray (GK), Jenkins, James, Jolly, Heptonstall, Royce, Hanson-Akins, Sedgman, Oakes, Bradshaw, Tait. Subs: Addison, Halliday.

With all three goalscorers back in the team for the second match at St George’s College, Weybridge, Surbiton’s performance improved.

However, three successive Teddington penalty corner conversions in the second half from Tanya Cooke and Becky Eaton (two) left Surbiton stunned.

The half-time score was 1-1, Teddington taking the lead in the 11th minute from Caroline Butler’s penalty corner conversion, cancelled out by a dribbling run and calm finish by Helen Grant in the 18th minute. Emma Jones pulled a second goal back for Surbiton in the 52nd minute but, although they raised their game in the last 15 minutes, there was no further scoring.

Surbiton start their league campaign at home to Rover Oxford, who were relegated from the England Hockey League Conference East via relegation playoffs, on Saturday, September 26 (11.30 am).

SURBITON LADIES: Heunis (GK), Jenkins, Philp, Royce, Hanson-Akins, Taylor, Sedgman, Jones, Grant, Bradshaw, Tait. Subs: Craze, Heptonstall, Jolly, Oakes