Day one of finals weekend gave us semi-finals between Surbiton and Hampstead and Westminster, with Old Georgians facing Wimbledon in the other match. A place in the final on the line as well as European qualification also up for grabs.

Here’s how it went.

Surbiton 4-1 Hampstead and Westminster.

The score might have made it look like it was a routine day at the office but Surbiton defender Brendan Creed says it was anything but, despite the side from Sugden Road securing their place in the final with a 4-1 win over Hampstead and Westminster.

First half goals from Stuart Rushmere and Tim Nurse put the hosts in control and although Josh Kelly pulled one back for Hampstead, Gareth Furlong’s penalty corner and a strike from Struan Walker ensured there was to be no comeback.

“It’s never comfortable against those guys.” said Creed.

“I think that realistically, if you don’t give away any corners, it stops a lot of their threat. So I think that was the main thing for us, was just to try and limit them to corners at a few corners as possible.

“To be honest, I actually thought we played the game plan really well. I’m really proud of the boys’ effort more than anything else. 60 minutes of hard graft in warm sun, warm spring sun, we did well.”

Creed also paid homage to the Seals’ penalty corner prowess, explaining how that potent attacking weapon allows them to impose themselves on their opponents:

“We have the best corner routine in the country. There’s no argument about that. You give us one chance. There’s a good chance it’s going to be a goal. So from that point of view, It was unbelievably executed by Luke and Stewie. And then after that, teams have got to come and play, which for us is brilliant. We’ll hit them on the counter if we if we can. I thought today we were pretty clinical.”

Old Georgians 4-3 Wimbledon.
Old Georgians captain Dan Shingles was full of praise for his team’s ability to dig in and get the job done after they saw off Wimbledon in a thrilling encounter.

“It’s never comfortable playing Wimbledon. It’s not. We started well but we know it was never going to be straightforward from there. They showed their quality and they changed a couple of things and they worked a couple of things out.

“To be fair to them they came back and played tremendously well for the second half. I think the fourth goal for us came at a really, really good time and maybe it took a little bit of the sting out of things. But, you know, this is what top level hockey in England’s like. We took our foot off the pedal for a few seconds and they capitalised.

“I’m pretty proud of the guys for being resolute like we have done all season really. To come back and grind it out a little bit at the end was very pleasing.”

OGs raced into a 3-0 half time lead with Ed Carson, Tom Carson and a marauding Liam Sanford all got onto the scoresheet – and it could have been 4-0 had Alan Forsyth’s penalty stroke not been superbly saved by Ore Ogunlana.

Ben Francis pulled one back straight after the half time break and remarkably, Jack Waller then made it 3-2 – and the momentum shifted firmly towards Wimbledon.

Sam Hiha fired a low shot into the net to ease the Georgians nerves but Wimbledon continued to throw everything at their opponents as they sought another goal. Sam Hooper fired in a penalty corner with seven minutes to go, but OGs were able to see the game out and book their place in the final.

“That experience all over the pitch just to kill the game in certain areas came in. Some of it wasn’t pretty but sometimes that experience is what you need it comes in handy and it definitely did today.” added Shingles.