SPORT Win on return sets right tone Hockey round-up

Craig Boyne said Canterbury’s excellent victory against Southgate on Saturday has set the perfect tone for the second half of their Men’s Conference East season.

Canterbury’s 2-0 win moved them up to third, at the expense of their rivals, and player-coach Boyne was delighted with the quality of the performance.

Tom Bean gave them the lead in the 26th minute before Harrison Smith wrapped up the points after some excellent play from first time starter Matt Carney two minutes from time.

Boyne said: “The first game after the mid-season break is always a key one and this was really big win for us.

“It puts us up to third within a point of Oxted in second, and it will also have hit Southgate hard.

“We’ve taken six points from them now this season and it was a good way to start the second half of the season.

“It’s so tight in the middle of the table that when you play the teams at the top you need to make it count and we did.”

Canterbury suffered an early setback when Will Heywood pulled up with a hamstring injury in the opening seconds but they were in the ascendancy for most of the first half, with new centre-back pairing Jack Balsdon and Toby Vaughan excellent.

The breakthrough came from their first penalty corner, despatched low to the keeper’s right by Bean.

Southgate showed renewed energy in the second half, hitting the post from a corner but Canterbury were equally unlucky to see an effort by Teague Marcano ruled out before they sealed the points.

Carney, 16, did the spadework, wrigglng his way to the baseline before picking out Smith who scored courtesy of a smart deflection.

Canterbury made it two wins in as many days when they won 6-2 against Wapping at Lee Valley in the Adult Men’s Tier 1 Championship on Sunday.

Bean opened the scoring from a short corner before Vaughan picked up a rebound at another corner for his third goal in six seasons.

Marcano made it 3-0 seeing his initial flick saved before comprehensively finishing the rebound on his backhand but the visitors squandered a chance for a fourth when Bean missed a stroke.

Wapping rallied in the second half scoring from two penalty corners and missing a stroke of their own before Canterbury regained the initiative, helped by Bean who put away two more corners to complete his hat-trick.

An excellent piece of team play was finished off by Tom Degiovanni to complete the scoring.

Boyne said: “We had a bit of a shaky moment when they got to 3-2. I think the boys took their foot off the gas but they got back on it fairly quickly.

“The cup game was the perfect opportunity to play some of the less inexperienced boys who will be better for the game time.”

Canterbury host Oxted at Polo Farm on Sunday (pushback 12.45pm).

Canterbury Ladies resume their Investec Women’s National League campaign on Saturday bolstered by the arrival of two overseas players.

The club have recruited 29-yearold Italian international Eugenia Bianchi and Argentinian Agustina Alvarez, who were due to land in the country yesterday (Wednesday).

The pair will go straight into the squad for the crucial trip to Slough as Canterbury bid to claim their first win of the season.

Defender Bianchi played for Italy in the 2018 World Cup – the first time they had been in the event for 42 years – and was part of the team which secured a shock 1-0 victory over Korea.

Alvarez, who turned 26 on Monday, has been playing in her home country for Sporting and has previously represented Argentina at the Youth Olympics.

Back in the fold are Anna Baker and Kirsty Greaves both of whom will strengthen Canterbury’s options.

The city club finished the first half of the campaign bottom of the Premier Division, four points adrift of the two teams above them, one of whom is Slough.

Player-of-the-match Sophy Forwood claimed a hat-trick as Herne Bay ladies recorded an excellent 5-0 win away to Edenbridge in Kent Division 1.

Rachel Gentry and Jade Walker were the other scorers for Bay who moved up to ninth with the victory.

The ladies’ 2nds lost 3-0 against Blackheath and are seventh in Division 3.

Sarah Wills grabbed both goals and Libby Fielder was star player as the 3rds edged Maidstone 2-1 in. They are 10th in Division 4.

Sam Thompson struck twice as Herne Bay’s men’s 2nds beat Deal 1sts 5-0 in Kent Area Division 2.

Adam Foster, Tom Rees and Kai Appleby were the other scorers as Bay remain second, 10 points adrift of runaway behind leaders Tunbridge Wells 2nds.

The 4ths, top of Kent Open Division 2, were handed a 5-0 walkover win by Ashford Crusaders and have moved two points clear of Holcombe who were held to a draw.

The 5ths lost 2-0 at home to Canterbury Friars despite good performances from Jamie Ullyett, Josh Wilson and Tom Harrison. The result saw them slip to the bottom of Kent Open Division 3, but only two points separate the bottom three clubs.

The games involving the 1sts and 3rds were postponed.