Surbiton Ladies 2 Reading Ladies 1A 1

Surbiton Ladies are one win away from the England Hockey League, after they came from behind to beat Reading’s second team in a top-of-the-table South Clubs’ Women’s Hockey League Division One clash at Sugden Road on Saturday.

Havant, Hampstead & Westminster, Oxford Hawks, and Epsom’s promotion hopes were ended after all four teams drew on Saturday. Epsom also held Southampton in a rearranged fixture on Sunday, to leave Surbiton needing three points to clinch promotion, as second teams are not allowed to play in the England Hockey League.

The top four leading scorers in SCWHL Division One all played: Helen Grant, Chiara Clarke, Chloe Lyons, and Emma Jones. Reading’s Clarke was the only member of the quartet to add to her league tally, opening the scoring with her 15th league goal of the season, converting a penalty corner in the twelfth minute. Grant still leads the way with 16 goals.

Grant, Jones, and Sian Craze all had chances to score in the first half, but desperate defending and the Reading goalkeeper, Mel Insall, kept the visiting goal intact.

With Surbiton having failed to capitalise on Reading’s turnovers, the visitors still led at half time, but Surbiton regrouped after the break, Grant hitting a shot against Insall’s body; and Maddie Tait just failing to equalise at the right post, both within the first three minutes.

Reading successfully defended the hosts’ first two penalty corners but, with 15 minutes remaining, it was third time lucky as, Tait deflected a shot at the right post past Insall to level the score. Three minutes later, Sian Craze latched on to a wayward pass, ran into the circle and smashed the ball against the backboard to give Surbiton the lead for the first time; and score her eighth league goal of the season.

Reading couldn’t find an equaliser, and now trail the leaders by nine points with five games remaining.

Surbiton will aim to seal promotion with a win at Paddington Recreation Ground against Hampstead & Westminster at midday on Saturday; before traveling to the East Midlands to face EHL Premier Division leaders, Leicester, in an England Hockey Board Women’s Cup quarter-final on Sunday. Hampstead are the only team to have taken points off Surbiton in the league this season, drawing 2-2 at Sugden Road in October.

SURBITON LADIES: Heunis (GK & Capt.); Jenkins, Heptonstall, Jolly, Royce, Taylor, Grant, Jones, Tait, Holmes, Craze.

Subs: Addison, Aitchison , Newton.