Surbiton Ladies are clinging on to the fourth and final qualification place for the championship play-offs after struggling to a 1-0 win over University of Birmingham.
Emma Batten’s 27th minute penalty corner conversion at Sugden Road on Saturday was enough to clinch all three Investec WHL Premier Division points.
However, play-off rivals and fifth-placed Bowdon Hightown’s goal difference is only one inferior, after they thrashed Slough 5-0 at home.
A sixth Bowdon goal would have sent Surbiton down to fifth place on goals scored.
Surbiton goalkeeper, Abi Walker, kept a clean sheet in her first game since announcing her retirement from all international hockey due to work commitments.
The former Scotland and GB stalwart, Walker chose to retire after deciding her career as a surgeon would not allow her to commit to full-time training for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Surbiton face an important double-header weekend, as they host Clifton on Saturday, before travelling to Leicester on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the men pulled off a surprise 5-1 win over Beeston, the leaders of the MHL Premier Division.
Two goals from James Tindall, strikes from Robert Schilling and Alexander Penney, plus an own goal earned the points.
Surbiton travel to second-placed Reading on Sunday.
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