After drawing their first two games on Sunday, Surbiton Ladies won their last four matches to finish second in Pool B of the qualifying competition, to reach the South Indoor Championships final.

At Seaford College, Petworth, Surbiton were only denied an opening win when Basingstoke equalised with two minutes left to earn a 1-1 draw. Former Surbiton player and Scottish international, Becky Merchant, currently playing outdoor hockey for Dutch side Bloemendaal,, gave Surbiton the lead in the seventh minute. Merchant was on target again against Woking, and with Katelyn Aitchison adding a second goal seconds later, Surbiton were heading for a 2-1 win, but Woking snatched a point with a penalty corner conversion in added time.

City of Oxford were Surbiton’s third opponents, but as Oxford had less than six players, the other six teams were all awarded default 3-0 wins. The games were still played, and Surbiton indeed won 3-0, thanks to goals from Aitchison; team captain, Victoria Heptonstall; and Kate Holmes.

Amersham and Chalfont also lost 3-0, the goals coming in the first six minutes from Holmes; Bethan Jenkins; and player/coach Jemma Norton.

Goals were harder to come by against Buckingham, but just as the game seemed destined to end goalless, Clarissa Goodwin popped up to score the only goal with seconds remaining.

In their final match, Surbiton beat Chichester 2-0, Goodwin and Merchant scoring, as their defence kept its fourth consecutive clean sheet.

Basingstoke’s last 2-0 win over Amersham was enough to overtake Surbiton, and win the competition with 16 points, two ahead of Surbiton. Buckingham clinched the third and final qualifying spot with a 2-0 win over Woking.

On Saturday, Horsham, Wycombe, and Tulse Hill & Dulwich all qualified for the final; and the final will again be held at Seaford College on Sunday (19 December).