Holcombe head to the South West on Saturday to take on Clifton Robinsons (12:15) in a crucial Premier Division Phase One clash. 

The hosts sit just a point and a place above Holcs in the table, who are looking for their first win since the end of September. 

Defeat last time out saw Loughborough Students jump above Holcombe and push Brad Read’s side into the bottom two for the first time this season, though just two points separate seventh and 11th currently with two Phase One matches remaining. 

Clifton’s two wins have both come in their last five, with 3-2 and 4-0 wins against Loughborough and bottom side Sutton Coldfield interspersed with a 6-0 turnover at Hampstead & Westminster, a 1-1 draw with University of Birmingham and a 2-1 defeat to Kevin Johnson’s Wimbledon. 

The two sides met just once in 2022/23, with Clifton Robinsons winning 2-0 early in the season.

Reggie Keates’ side have 12 goals, four more than Holcombe, but Holcs do currently boast the best defensive record in the bottom half, with just 17 conceded compared to 21 for Saturday’s opponents.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, the biggest match of the weekend comes at Sonning Lane with leaders Reading hosting third-placed East Grinstead. 

Reading are unbeaten in nine so far this campaign with seven wins, while East Grinstead are three points further back, with Hampstead & Westminster inbetween the two sides on 22 points, one behind Reading.

Anything other than a Reading win could give the Londoners a chance to go top on the penultimate Phase One weekend, while a win for EG could see them move level on points with Rob Foxall-Smith’s outfit.

In Hampstead’s way are Bowdon, who have lost their last three matches and four of their last five. Last time out, they suffered a 6-0 defeat to Surbiton following reverses to Reading (2-0) and East Grinstead (4-2), meaning they will have played the top four in consecutive weeks in an extremely tough run of matches.

David Cooper’s side travel north knowing, though, that a win could take them top of the table and they are unbeaten in eight since an opening day defeat, also winning their last three matches against Sutton Coldfield, University of Nottingham and Clifton Robinsons.

Champions Surbiton, in fourth, host Sutton Coldfield at Sugden Road looking to close the gap on the top-two.

The Londoners have the joint-second-best attack with 27 goals in nine matches while their visitors have the worst defensive record in the division with 41 conceded in the same timeframe.

A win for Surbiton could take them to 22 points, which could be enough to move second depending on other results this weekend.

A win for Sutton Coldfield would be their first in the top-flight this season and could see the gap reduced to those above them.

Wimbledon head to University of Nottingham knowing a win would guarantee their Top Six spot for Phase Two.

Kevin Johnson’s side are unbeaten in five and have won their last two so will hope to continue that positive run of form.

A win for the hosts, though, could boost their Top Six hopes after four games without a win left them eighth on nine points, two points and two places behind University of Birmingham, separated by Loughborough Students who also have nine points.

Birmingham and Loughborough meet in a university clash on Saturday, a win potentially significant for Top Six hopes for both sides with six teams bunched so closely together from sixth to 11th.

Image: Andy Smith