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Planet Field Hockey

By Bill Colwill

Reading, the defending National League Premier Champions, who returned to the top of the table last weekend following their 3-0 victory at Doncaster, entertain the high scoring Loughborough Students side tomorrow on their new pitch at Sonning Lane in a game which promises to be a lively affair.

The home side looks like being at full strength for the first time this season with England's Mark Pearn and the New Zealand captain, Simon Towns, both back after long-term injuries. Fourth placed Loughborough make just one change, Mike Brimblecombe replacing Andrew Dunn.

For Loughborough's manager, Bob McBlane, it will be a double dose of Reading. This afternoon in a women's First Division game at Loughborough he will be on the bench as Students take on leaders Reading, who are doing their best to emulate their male counterparts.

Old Loughtonians' bid to bounce straight back into the Premier Division is likely to gather further momentum when they entertain Belper at Luxborough Lane.

One of just three National League teams to have maximum points ? Reading's men and the new arrivals in Women's Second Division, Birmingham University, are the others ? Loughtonians have this week added another South African international, Mike Cullen, to their already formidable squad. They also hope that the former England international Nicky Thompson, who missed both games last weekend with a calf injury picked up in training, will return.

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