Outdoor national Premier Division side Surbiton made an excellent start to their national indoor league season when they ended up top of Division One after the first of two weekends at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre, in Bradford.

On Saturday the Long Ditton-based side beat Ford Dunton 8-4 and Maidenhead 8-5.

On Sunday, they drew 4-4 with Hull and beat Chelmsford 9-8 thanks to two goals in the last two minutes from former German international Stefan Saliger.

Saliger was Surbiton's top scorer with 12 goals, aided by James Southgate with six, Ed Butcher, Matt Daly and Gregor Eiden with three, and Ben Marsden and Steve Richardson with one each.

Teddington do not compete in any of the three national indoor leagues, which allowed their reserve keeper Martin St-Gallay, an indoor expert, to share Surbiton's goalkeeping duties with Tom Sheridan.

Scottish indoor international Kevin Squire made up the 10-man squad on the Sunday, while the team was coached by James Burns and managed by Lee Pettifer.

With four games remaining against joint leaders Beeston, Doncaster, Sheffield Bankers and Bournville Surbiton are two points clear of third-placed Hull in the race for the two promotion spots to the Premier Division next season.

The local outdoor attention focussed on Saturday's regional league fixtures.

In South Premier Division One, Wimbledon beat Eastcote 4-1 at home with goals from Brett Gilmon, Gareth Nicolls, Steve Hamilton and Reginald Anthony.

Richmond stay one place above their south London neighbours, in fourth position, after a 5-0 home win over Fareham, with goals from Graham Berry, James Brown, Will Cooper, Mark Morris and Brett Galbraith.

Bottom of the table Old Cranleighans continued their sorry season with a 2-1 home defeat by Oxford University, their solitary goal being scored by Will Smith.

In South Premier Division Two, Oxted extended their advantage over second-placed Staines to nine points with a 9-1 home victory over Tunbridge Wells. Calum Giles hit five, Richard Headlam three and Lee Dunn one.

Spencer (Wandsworth), who are third, came within a point of Staines by beating them 3-2 at home, with two goals from Adam Laird and one from Ian Bateman.

Epsom dropped further down the table with a 1-0 home defeat by Old Whitgiftians and Old Kingstonians crashed 6-1 at Gore Court on Saturday and 1-0 to Old Whitgiftians on Sunday.

In the Hampshire/Surrey Regional, leaders London Wayfarers won 2-0 at Andover with goals from Rob Bloomer and Jamie Ford. Wanderers from Battersea beat Basingstoke 4-3 at home to climb to third, with goals from Jamie McBride (two), Deon Mackenzie and Jan van Heal.

Barnes won 3-1 at Winchester with two goals from player/coach Steve Hankins and one from Andre Bailey and London Edwardians won 2-1 at home to Bournemouth.

In Surrey Division One, London University lost 1-0 at Walton & Weybridge and NPL Lensbury were 9-1 home winners over Metropolitan Police.

In Surrey Division Two, Merton won 6-3 at Kenley and Cheam had a 2-0 home victory over Horley. Bottom-placed London Edwardians 3 lost again, this time 4-2 at runaway leaders Addiscombe.

January 18, 2002 16:30