Surbiton Ladies 3 Buckingham Ladies 1

On Sunday, Surbiton Ladies booked their place in the quarter-finals of the England Hockey Women’s Cup for the first time in their history, knocking Buckingham, of the one-league higher England Hockey League Conference West, out at the third round stage with a 3-1 win at Sugden Road.

Buckingham were initially faster to the ball, and well-organised in defence, but Surbiton patiently explored ways to effectively attack their higher-ranked visitors.

Their patience was rewarded in the 19th minute, when excellent support play by Georgie Parker and Helen Grant enabled Maddie Tait to hit the ball into the top right corner of the goal, give Surbiton the lead, and delight the home supporters.

Buckingham responded by forcing five first half penalty corners which were competently defended, with Bethan Jenkins skilfully clearing the fourth award.

Still 1-0 behind at half time, Buckingham were shocked within two minutes of the restart, when Grant and Parker again successfully combined to find Tait on the left of the circle, with space to smack the ball against the backboard, and double Surbiton’s lead.

Buckingham immediately forced a high glove save from Jeanne Heunis, but inspired, Surbiton played as if they were the higher league team, helped by Buckingham’s unforced errors, with Parker particularly unlucky to hit a reverse stick shot high over the bar.

Surbiton’s place in the last eight was all but guaranteed when Grant converted their only penalty corner of the match with eleven minutes remaining to give them an unlikely 3-0 lead, however, Fiona Farley gave the visitors brief hope when she scored from open play to leave them seven minutes to score twice and force sudden-death extra time.

Heunis and Surbiton’s defenders ensured that Buckingham’s final two penalty corners were not converted; and tactical play kept the ball in the opposing half as the clock ran down.

At the final whistle, Surbiton’s players went into a celebratory huddle, whilst Buckingham were left to reflect on a disappointing weekend, having lost 5-1 at home to leaders, Cannock, the previous day.

In Monday’s draw, Surbiton were given the toughest possible matchup, away to England Hockey League Premier leaders, Leicester, who have won all eight of their league matches and reached the quarter-finals by winning at top division rivals Brooklands Poynton, and Clifton. The match will take place on February 28.

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

All four of Surbiton’s Colts teams progressed in their national cup matches on Sunday. The U16 Boys bounced back from their 8-3 first round Cup defeat against Havant to beat Eastbourne 9-2 in the first round of the Plate. The U18 Boys needed penalty strokes to win at Havant, prevailing 5-3 after a 3-3 draw in normal time.

The U16 Girls received a walkover into the third round of the Cup after Southampton withdrew; and the U18 Girls won 10-0 at Banbury. The next round of matches is due to take place on 29 November.

Surbiton Ladies 3 Havant Ladies 1

On Saturday, Surbiton had braved the wind and rain for three hard-earned South Clubs’ Women’s Hockey League Division One points against fourth-placed Havant, to extend their lead over their nearest promotion rivals to six points.

After surviving three early penalty corners at Sugden Road, Hannah Oakes and Sian Craze both went close to giving Surbiton the lead. With defences very much on top, Surbiton had to wait until the 26th minute to take the lead, Parker lifting the ball into the top right corner beyond the Havant goalkeeper, Paula Hurrell.

Having successfully defended two penalty corners at the start of the second half, Havant fell 2-0 behind in the 39th minute, Grant scoring from the left of the circle to give Surbiton a much needed breathing space.

Resilient, Havant pulled a goal back in the 45th minute, Jo Faulkner converting their seventh penalty corner to reduce Surbiton’s lead to 2-1. Four minutes later, the scores were nearly levelled, Havant failing to have an attacker in place to turn in a cross from the right wing.

The game was settled in the 52nd minute, Kelly Taylor carrying the ball around the goalkeeper, and into the empty goal to give Surbiton their sixth win in seven league matches.

SURBITON LADIES: Heunis (GK & Capt.), Jenkins, Heptonstall, Royce, Jolly, Hanson-Akins, Taylor, Grant, Oakes, Craze, Jones. Subs: Bradshaw, James, Parker. Sub not used: Clacher.

Although Reading 1A are still four points behind in second place after a 7-0 win at Woking, as their club’s second team, they cannot be promoted to the England Hockey League. Therefore Surbiton’s nearest rivals are Epsom and Southampton, who are both six points behind. Epsom were held 2-2 at Harrow; and Southampton recovered from the previous week’s 8-0 hammering to win 1-0 at Oxford Hawks.

On Saturday, eighth placed Harrow are the visitors to Sugden Road for the penultimate league match before the winter break (push back 11.30 am).