The 2012-2013 Maxifuel Super Sixes season started last Saturday with both men's and women's Premier Divisions playing the first four of their eight scheduled matches.
For a competition that has often been played in cramped and dimly lit halls, the new venues were something of a revelation. The vast St Georges Park complex near Burton-upon-Water is a multi million pound training centre for football recently built by the FA. The proportions at Bromsgrove School, where the women played, were on more modest proportions, but still beyond our wildest dreams only a few years ago.
Probably one of the more interesting features of the men's league at St Georges were the guest players. Tin Davenport turned out again for Beeston, and was in devastating form, whilst Doncaster had managed to acquire the services of no less than Barry Middleton, who was returning to his original club. The Yorkshire side had also managed to pinch Beeston's Carl Smith. Indeed, the opening match of the season, which featured Beeston and Doncaster, turned into a titanic clash, with Doncaster putting on a late rally to almost puncture Beeston's hopes of qualifying for the finals. The eventual score was 8-6 to Beeston.
Canterbury's outdoor form failed to follow them indoors, when they went down to East Grinstead 2-11, despite the scoreboard showing the result as 2-112. But there was a reversal of fortunes for both sides when EG could only draw against Reading, and Canterbury were the 5-7 winners against Loughborough Students, Kwan Brown being our man of the match in that game.
Beeston dominated day two's proceedings with a 6-1 win over Bowdon, and a 1-10 win over Old Loughtonians, making the Nottingham side the only team with a 100% record at the end of the first weekend. They are being chased closely by East Grinstead, who scraped a 3-2 win over Old Loughtonians thanks to a late Ashley Jackson penalty stroke, followed by a more convincing 3-6 win against Loughborough Students. Reading are in third place after a narrow win against Surbiton (3-2) and a 5-5 draw against Canterbury which had seen them come back from 5-3 down.
So what of Doncaster? Doncaster recorded two wins, a draw and a defeat to put them in fourth place. The score was 5-5 for all of eight minutes against Loughborough Students before Joe Morrison scored their winner on the stroke of full time. Against Surbiton they trailed 3-2, before Tim Shelley and Barry Middleton found the net to give them a 3-4 win.
Men's Premier table after first weekend: 1. Beeston 12 pts (+17), 2. East Grinstead 10 pts (+13), 3. Reading 8 pts (+8), 4. Doncaster 7 pts (+0), 5. Canterbury 7 pts (-6), 6. Bowdon 4 pts (-1), 7. Surbiton 3 pts (-2), 8. Loughborough Students 0 pts (-13), 9. Old Loughtonians 0 pts (-13.
It is interesting to speculate how much difference the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards made to performances in the Women's Premier Division. The GB Women were guests, and those playing for their clubs at Bromsgrove were absent for all or part of the Sunday's proceedings. As an aside, no mention was made during the SPOTY of GB's Olympic bronze medal, although Martina Navratalova did comment on Kate Walsh's injury during a speech.
Only Leicester managed to maintain a 100% record over the weekend, with wins over University of Birmingham (3-5), Clifton (3-2), Sutton Coldfield (2-3) and Reading (5-1). Bowdon Hightown got off to a slightly shaky start with a 4-5 defeat at the hands of Sutton Coldfield, but managed to get back into the points with wins over Olton (3-6), University of Birmingham (5-1) and Slough (1-9). The much awaited appearance of the England indoor international Abi Harper, who transferred from Reading to Bowdon Hightown during the summer, did not take place due to an injury.
Bowdon are in second place, separated by goal difference from third place Canterbury. The Kent's side's opening match, against Slough, saw Sarah Kerly (she of famous father) score all six of Canterbury's goals against Slough in their 6-2 win, although their second match ended less well with a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Reading. A close fought 4-3 win over Olton, and a 3-5 win over Clifton, puts them in the vital top four.
Struggling outdoors, but with indoor glories fresh in our memories, Slough reached the second day with zero points. But the absence of Alex Danson from the Reading side on day two, seemed to spur them on to great things, and they won a surprising 3-5 victory over their neighbours, with the damage being done by Laura Puddle (3), Amy Turnbull and Alex Scott. Unfortunately for Slough, they were later on the wrong end of a 1-9 drubbing from Bowdon.
Women's Premier Division after four matches: 1. Leicester 12 points (+8), 2. Bowdon Hightown 9 pts (+14), 3. Canterbury 9 pts (+6), 4. Sutton Coldfield 7 pts (+2), 5. Reading 6 pts (-3), 6. Olton & WW 4 pts (-3), 7. Slough 3 Pts (-11), 8. Clifton 1 pt (-5), 9. University of Birmingham 1 pt (-8).
The Maxifuel Super Sixes plays its second and final weekend on 5th/6th January.
IMAGES FROM BOTH DIVISIONS CAN BE FOUND AT OUR SISTER SITE AT: www.HockeyImages.co.uk.
