Surbiton Ladies made hard work of the victory which took them to the top of the England Hockey League Conference East, following long time leaders Chelmsford’s 2-1 defeat at Ipswich on Saturday.

In spite of Kelly Morgan, Molly Hanson-Akins, and goalkeeper, Dulcie Davies all being unable to play through injury, Surbiton took the lead at Perse Girls’ School in the eighth minute, Emma Rowland-Jones converting their first penalty corner with a trademark drag-flick.

Cambridge had won two of their first six matches, and had managed to sneak a draw at Ipswich with a last minute goal earlier in the season.

Clearly dangerous, the home side equalised in the fifteenth minute, also from their first penalty corner, the ball finding Rachel Dann, who easily scored as she was unmarked at the right post.

Surbiton regained the lead two minutes later, Clarissa Goodwin finally forcing the ball over the line in a goalmouth scramble, to score her first goal in Surbiton colours.

Cambridge almost equalised for a second time in the 24th minute, but the goal which resulted from their second penalty corner was ruled out.

The home side were clearly unhappy with the decision, following on from Surbiton having to retake their first penalty corner, and scoring, after the Cambridge defenders were judged to have broken from the goal-line before the injection.

Cambridge fell further behind when Helen Grant scored from the edge of the circle three minutes later, to extend Surbiton’s lead to 3-1.

The visitors seemed to be in control, but lost some initiative when they allowed Sophie Nehammer to pull a second goal back four minutes before half time.

In the second half, Cambridge forced four penalty corners, but good goalkeeping from Asha Tranquille-Day, and excellent defence by both Rowland-Jones and Bethan Jenkins kept the home attack at bay.

An equalising goal from Cambridge was still possible until Surbiton raised their game, and forced five penalty corners in a five minute spell towards the end of the match.

Although the Cambridge defence did their best to defend, they succumbed twice: Rowland-Jones scoring her fifth league goal of the season in the 63rd minute; and Abi Robinson lifting the ball into the top right corner of the goal to score her first goal for Surbiton two minutes later.

Surbiton lead second-placed Ipswich by a point, and welcome the East Anglian side to Sugden Road for a top of the table clash next Saturday (13 November) at 1.30 p.m.

Chelmsford’s defeat meant they dropped to third, but are still definitely in contention for the Conference East title.

SURBITON LADIES: Tranquille-Day (GK); Heptonstall (Capt.), Gordon, Jenkins, James, Robinson; Rowland-Jones, Tait, Grant, Teasdale, Bryant,. Subs: Garne, Ford, Goodwin, Addison.

Surbiton Ladies’ second team reached the quarter-finals of the England Hockey Board Women’s Second XI Cup, beating Team Bath Buccaneers 2-1 at Sugden Road on Sunday. Surbiton, who extended their lead at the top of the Surrey Premier on Saturday to five points over Wimbledon 1A, after a 4-0 win at Spencer, took the lead in the seventh minute, Jemma Norton converting their second penalty corner.

Katelyn Aitchison doubled the lead five minutes into the second half, deflecting Emma Elsom’s initial shot past the visitors’ goalkeeper.

Team Bath, who are eighth in the West League Premier Division 2 after they lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth’s second team on Saturday, found themselves back in the match after an unfortunate deflection off Surbiton’s Sian Craze’s stick sent the ball past her own goalkeeper, five minutes later.

The quarter-finals are scheduled to be played on 13 February 2011, and the other seven teams in the draw will be Brooklands Poynton, Cannock, Clifton, Ipswich, Leicester, Reading, and the University of Birmingham.

SURBITON LADIES SECOND TEAM: Heunis (GK); Holmes, Garne, Philp, Thiessen, Fitch, Royce, Bradshaw, Norton, Aitchison, Craze. Subs: Broad, Clacher, Elsom, Moore, Oakes.