After an extended hiatus with both the indoor Super 6s season and the Hockey India League, the Men’s Premier Division returns in full for Phase Two this weekend.

In the Top Six, it is first versus second as Kwan Browne’s Holcombe travel to Old Georgians on Saturday (18:00).

A win for Holcs would cut the deficit at the top to just two points.

Holcombe will be keen to avenge their 5-2 defeat at Holcombe Park where former Incredible Holc Sam Ward scored a brace for the Weybridge-based team in Holcombe’s only defeat of the season so far.

Following a successful run of friendlies, Browne’s side will be keen to maintain their form and make the perfect start to Phase Two having won nine and drawn one of their opening 11 matches.

Holcombe have manoeuvred themselves into second place in the table accumulating 28 points in their ventures during Phase One with the only blotches on their record a defeat against this week’s high-flying opponents and champions Old Georgians and a last-minute equaliser scored by Surbiton to give them a draw at Holcombe Park.

This last nine meetings between the two clubs boast an impressive 38 goals.

Holcs will be looking to secure their first victory against the Surrey-based club since 2020 and improve their chances of breaking the Old Georgians stronghold on the Premier Division title. 

Elsewhere in the Top Six, third-placed Surbiton host sixth-placed Oxted.

In the game earlier in the season, the points were taken by Surbiton in a 4-2 victory for Barry Middleton’s men. 

The Londoners will want to make home advantage count and continue to apply the pressure on Holcombe, whom they are currently two points behind.

Oxted will want to build on their comfortable victory in the final Phase One game against Richmond and potentially cut the deficit between themselves and Hampstead & Westminster to two points, if Hampstead lose to Wimbledon.

Hampstead & Westminster travel to Wimbledon in the fourth versus fifth clash.

Hampstead will want revenge for their narrow 2-1 home defeat earlier in the season to the Wombles and close the gap to one point from their opponents.

Wimbledon, after taking the runaway league leaders all the way in their last Phase One game will want to close in on Surbiton.

A win for Wimbledon and a loss for the Sugden Road outfit would put both teams level on 26 points.

In the Lower Six, seventh-placed Cardiff & Met will want to bounce back from their narrow 3-2 defeat last week against Southgate and make home advantage count against bottom side Bowdon.

Bowdon will want to secure what would be only their second victory of the season.

Sussex-based East Grinstead travel to Southgate knowing that a victory would significantly help their chances of moving up a place.

In the last of the Phase One fixtures, East Grinstead secured a convincing 6-2 victory over xxxx. Southgate will be keen to make home advantage count and make it two wins from two following their victory over Cardiff and Met last weekend.

In the final fixture, Beeston welcome Richmond to the Nottingham Hockey Centre.

Both teams will be looking to start their Phase Two campaigns off with a win.

Beeston secured a 3-1 victory in the Phase One fixture earlier on in the season.

Richmond will be determined to secure their second win and move to within one point of their opponents.

Image: Martin Waight