After holding high-flying Holcombe to a draw last weekend, relegation-threatened Sevenoaks are preparing for a crucial clash against fellow strugglers Brooklands MU in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division on Sunday.

Currently ninth with just one win so far, Sevenoaks are five points adrift of their opponents, but could significantly reduce that gap with a victory in Cheshire.

“We’re happy with how we’ve been playing,” said Tim Warrington, captain of Sevenoaks who are in their first season of top flight hockey. “We’ve had some very good periods of play but we often haven’t capitalised on our domination and have been punished.

“It has been a baptism of fire but we’re learning quickly. We’re a stronger unit now than we were last year and have got a season of Premier Division hockey under our belts, so if we did end up in the relegation play-offs again we would go into them feeling confident.”

Elsewhere Beeston – who narrowed the gap to Surbiton to four points with last week’s win at East Grinstead – play at home against bottom of the table Canterbury.

Meanwhile, Hampstead & Westminster have an away match at Holcombe and could also climb into play-off contention if they can take all three points.

Holcombe Ladies are hosting Buckingham in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division in a battle of two teams chasing a play-off spot (6pm on Saturday), while Bowdon Hightown are at home against a Canterbury Ladies side which lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with a win over Buckingham last weekend (1:45pm).

In the Investec Conference East, Sevenoaks play host to Bedford also on Saturday afternoon with the game set to start at 3pm.

Picture supplied by Michele Harvey