Maids and Marlow get ready for new campaign

Maidenhead Hockey Club’s men’s and women’s teams get their new campaigns underway on Saturday, with the men’s team looking to get one over rivals including newly promoted Marlow,

Slough and Henley in South Central Men’s Premier Division 1.

The men's team will push back away to Banbury at 12.30pm on Saturday at the North Oxfordshire Academy, before welcoming Slough to Altwood School the following weekend, October 1, 1pm kick-off.

Maids had difficulties at times last season and struggled for consistency of performance and team selection throughout the campaign.

In recent weeks they've lost 3-2 at home to Reading 2nds in a friendly.

The women’s team will also be looking to get off to a good start in South Central Women’s

Premier Division 1 when they host Sonning 1sts at Altwood at 1pm on Saturday. Maids’ women also produced a few indifferent performances last season and will be striving for improvement in the 2022/23 campaign.

On Saturday, they lost 1-0 at Reading 1sts in their final pre-season friendly.

Marlow’s men’s and women’s first teams will be looking to kick-on after going through last season unbeaten. Both are now playing in the South Central Premier Division 1 leagues after claiming promotion last season. The women start their campaign at home to Fareham (2.45pm pushback) while the men are also at home against Winchester (4.30pm pushback).

The men’s 1sts warmed up for the new campaign at Osterley on Saturday, playing two national league teams at the Indian Gymkhana ground. Encouragingly, they managed to beat their hosts 1-0 and also got the better of Barnes 2-1. The women’s team however, were well beaten by another national league team, Old Georgians, in their friendly.

The annual Croxon

Cup encounter also took place against Wycombe Hockey Club, and, with the score at 15-15 going into the final match, Wycombe won the trophy back when their 1st team defeated Marlow’s 2nd team 4-1.

Ahead of the new season, Marlow have also achieved Talent Centre accreditation from England Hockey, recognising the high-quality environment they provide for junior hockey development.