Holcombe will hope to kick off the Kwan Browne era in style as Wimbledon visit Holcombe Park on Saturday evening in the two sides’ Premier Division opener (18:30).

Browne, Great Britain and England assistant coach, joined Holcombe over the summer as Head Coach and Director of Hockey and has added nine players in a summer of change.

Samkelo Mvimbi, Ali Shan, Mubashar Ali, Rohan Bhuhi, Matt Ramshaw, Matt Symonds, Teague Marcano, Tim Neild and Felix Tully will all be hopeful of potential Holcombe debuts tomorrow following a number of departures in the off-season.

Holcs narrowly missed out on a League Finals weekend berth last season in Phase Three, while Wimbledon finished third to secure Euro Hockey League qualification, with the KO16 event set to be held at Sugden Road, Surbiton, later this year.

The Wombles won both meetings between the two sides, winning 3-0 at Holcombe Park in Phase One and 3-1 at Raynes Park in Phase Two after the top-six split.

Holcs’ last win against Wimbledon came in Phase Two of the season before, when goals from Nick Bandurak (2) and Tom Russell earned all three points at Raynes Park.

Only Surbiton finished last season’s regular campaign with a better defensive record than Holcombe, with the London side shipping 26 goals in 19 matches compared to 27 for Holcombe – while it was only Surbiton and title winners Old Georgians who out-scored the Incredible Holcs over the course of the season.

Entry is free at Holcombe Park on Saturday (18:30) with Holcombe’s women also in action against the Wombles at 16:00 as part of a season-opening double-header.

Other Premier Division fixtures:

17:30 – Southgate vs. Cardiff & Met

18:00 – Beeston vs. Richmond

18:00 – Surbiton vs. Oxted

18:00 – East Grinstead vs. Hampstead & Westminster

18:30 – Bowdon vs. Old Georgians

Image: Martin Waight