Defeat not best way to sign off

Canterbury ladies

Canterbury Ladies were brought down to earth with a bump after losing 6- 0 at home to Clifton on Saturday in the Investec Premier League. The heavy loss – after last week’s 2-1 home win over Bowdon Hightown –in their last outdoor game until February left the city club in seventh and seven points behind the Bristol side, who occupy the final play-off place. They are just five points ahead of second-bottom Bowdon. Clifton’s Kate Holmes was gifted the ball in the middle of the D to slot the opener on 20 minutes and seven minutes later, Eloise Laity doubled the lead with a fortunate deflection which trickled over the line. The game was all but up three minutes after half-time when Jessica Bloom deflected in a short corner strike to the far post and it was 4- 0 nine minutes later when Claire Thomas netted from a short corner. Bloom added her second on 51 minutes when played clean through and Holmes completed her double four minutes later with a reverse stick finish.

The 2nds sit second in East League Division 1 South after a 4-1 success at Sevenoaks, although the 2As were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Ashford in Division 2 South East. The hosts played some attractive hockey but needed keeper Katie Knight to ensure it was goalless at the break. A fine team goal put Canterbury ahead early in the second half but with the hosts tiring, Ashford snatched a point three minutes from time after the ball had come back off the post. The 3rds went down 4-2 at Sevenoaks in Kent League, Premier Division despite some encouraging play. The hosts broke the deadlock against the run of play just before half-time and it was 3- 0 before the city club pulled one back from a short corner and 4-1 before the visitors netted a consolation from the final play. The 3As made hard work of a 2-1 win at home to Deal which did move them further away from the bottom of Division 1. The over-35s saw-off Epsom 2-1 in the third round of their national cup at Polo Farm.