Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Champions finish season in best possible way
Canterbury men
Canterbury 2nds finished their London Premier Division title-winning campaign on a high with an 8-0 win against East Grinstead. The win ensured the city club remain unbeaten at Polo Farm. Sam Barrett converted a flick to break the deadlock and Alex Holton made it two before Rob Playford was given space to fire a third. Barrett added his second to make it 4-0 at half-time and Hamish Roberts scored a rare goal to make it five. Skipper Andrew Dunn added the sixth before Nick Buckingham looped a seventh and Barrett completed his hat-trick late-on. There were some big defeats for the Pilgrims, 6-1 against Tunbridge Wells in South League Kent/sussex Regional 1, the 3rds, 9-1 against Kings Alleyn in Regional 2 and the Millers, who lost 5-1 at Holcombe 2A in Kent Division 1 despite Harrison Smith’s goal. The 4ths did draw 5-5 against Marden Russets in Division 1 but the 5ths went down 1-0 at Tunbridge Wells 3rds in Premier B and the struggling Griffins lost 4-0 against Gravesham & Wellcome in Premier C, despite a fine display from Ed Laslett. The Squires drew 2-2 against Gillingham Anchorians 3rds in Open Division 1 while in Division 3, the Friars beat Gravesham & Wellcome 3rds 6-4. Despite James Cox’s goal, Canterbury were 3-1 down after 15 minutes and it was not until after the break that Geordie Hayward pulled one back. Gravesham added a fourth but two Sean Upton goals in 10 minutes levelled matters and in the closing stages, Noah Upton turned the game before Cox added a late sixth to seal it.