Having not had a chance to watch their team for six weeks, Surbiton men’s 1st XI supporters can see them in action at Sugden Road eight times over the next six, starting this Sunday.

The last two national premier division weekend fixtures of the first half of the season, both at home, were lost to the weather at the end of November, immediately before the month-long winter break.

So, although some of the squad played four indoor league fixtures in Bristol over the second weekend in December, now it’s back to match play for the majority with four home friendly fixtures.

These start on Sunday at 2pm against Indian Gymkhana, currently lying fourth (of ten) in the tier below Conference East. This is followed by friendlies against Conference East leaders Southgate on Sunday 23 at 3.30pm; the Conference West eighth-placed club Fareham on Thursday 27 (8pm); and finally fifth-placed fellow NPD London rivals Hampstead & Westminster on Thursday 3 February (8pm).

All this is in preparation for a hectic resumption of four home national premier division fixtures over the following three weekends.

In fact, six of the club’s nine second-half-of-the-season league fixtures are at Long Ditton, so they plan to make home advantage really count. Firstly to climb back from their current sixth position into a top-five post-season EHL Championship qualifying spot; hopefully in the top two for a guaranteed home semi-final place and an improved chance of joining the league champions among the three 2011/12 EuroLeague places on offer.