Holcombe Men begin phase two of their Premier Division campaign with a trip to league leaders Old Georgians on Saturday evening.

Barry Middleton's side sit third in the table after phase one, three points behind Old Georgians and Surbiton.

The hosts will be without top-scorer Sam Ward, who has recently undergone surgery after helping Great Britain qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, alongside a number of Old Georgians team-mates and four Holcombe men - Ollie Payne, David Ames, Phil Roper and newly-crowned Hockey Writers' Club Player-of-the-Year Nick Bandurak.

This year's recognition is particularly historic as Bandurak has become the first player to win this prestigious award for three consecutive years.

Beyond this accolade, Bandurak's contributions to both the Great Britain and England hockey teams have been nothing short of extraordinary. He has amassed an impressive total of 57 caps and scored a staggering 43 goals.

Bandurak said: “It’s such a huge honour to have my name alongside a prestigious group through the history of British Hockey and something I will never take for granted.

"I’ve been lucky enough to join at a really exciting time for men’s hockey and I’m looking forward to seeing the levels to which this Great Britain squad can take it in the coming year and beyond.”

Middleton's men ran out 7-0 winners at East Grinstead last weekend in their final friendly before the outdoor season recommences, with Roper scoring a hat-trick alongside strikes from Alex Pendle, Tom Russell, Hayden Phillips and Rob Field, who recently won International Player-of-the-Year at the Scottish Hockey Awards.

Holcombe Women, meanwhile, are looking for a third consecutive Division 1 South win as they travel to face Kent rivals Sevenoaks on Saturday.

Bandurak's side recommenced their outdoor campaign with a 2-1 home win over Southgate at East Grinstead HC, courtesy of a Phoebe Steele brace on Sunday, as they moved back into second place above Barnes on goal difference.

Holcs are looking to seal an immediate return to the Premier Division.

Weekend opponents Sevenoaks have scored less than half the number of goals that Holcombe have.