Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Victory lifts survival hopes
Canterbury men
Canterbury gave their National Premier Division survival chances a boost on Saturday night with just their second win of the season, a 3-1 success at basement-boys Loughborough.
Will Heywood was denied an early goal but he laid on the opener as skipper Craig Boyne gave the city club the perfect start on seven minutes.
Although Diccon Stubbings was called on to keep the lead intact, James Oates doubled the advantage just before the half-hour after some good work from Josh Pollard.
It stayed that way until the hosts, who had come out strongly after the break, halved the deficit on the hour with Evan Kimber converting a penalty corner.
Loughborough withdrew their keeper and piled forward as they sought an equaliser but Kris Glass fired the ball upfield for Boyne to grab his second with a strike into an unguarded net within four minutes to stave off the threat of any grandstand finish from the hosts.
The win took Canterbury within two points of thirdbottom Brooklands MU, with three games remaining, the last of which is against the Manchester side.
Brooklands lost 5-1 to Holcombe on Saturday and now also have an inferior goal difference to the city club, who host leaders Wimbledon on Sunday (12.45pm).
The 2nds drew 2-2 at home to Wimbledon 2nds as their London Premier Division title hopes suffered a blow. The Pilgrims saw off Mid Sussex 3-0 in South League Kent/sussex Regional 2, while the 3rds edged past Kent Area Division 1 leaders Folkestone 2nds by the odd goal in five.
Matt Lea opened the scoring but Ops came back to lead 2-1 at the break, only for Phil Jones to level and Lea to convert a penalty flick to win it.
The 4ths were held 2-2 at Marden 2nds in the same division, while the Millers lost 4-1 at Herne Bay to finish fourth in Division 2.
Matty Bye put Canterbury ahead but despite their dominance they couldn’t add to their lead and Bay roared back as the Millers tired.
The 5ths drew 0-0 at Gravesham in Kent Open Premier B, while the Griffins won 5-1 at home to Cliftonville 2nds to make it three straight wins in Premier C. Matt Carney and Callum Lea scored two each in the first half to set them on their way.
Struggling Squires drew 2-2 at BBHC 3rds in Kent Open Division 1 but the over-40s came from 1-0 down to win 3-1 against Harleston Magpies to book a place in the final of the National Cup against ISCA on April 29.
The Friars picked up their first win since before Christmas with a 4-3 success over Maidstone 5ths in Division 3. Geordie Hayward and Tim Smith turned around an early deficit and two second-half efforts from Jamie Curtiss made it 4-1 before two late goals set up a nervy finale.