Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Win secures second spot
WILSON AND MCCALLISTER BOTH ON TARGET AS LADIES END REGULAR SEASON WITH MORALE-BOOSTING VICTORY
Canterbury Ladies secured second-place in Investec National Premier Division by seeing-off rivals University of Birmingham 2-1 in the regular season finale at Polo Farm on Saturday.
The two were already destined to line-up again in semi-finals of the Championship play-offs at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on April 16 but the city club made sure of top-billing in the table.
Player- coach Jen Wilson put Canterbury ahead from a penalty corner after just 10 minutes and although Hannah Martin pulled the visitors level five minutes later, US import Ainsley Mccallister netted what turned out to be the winner eight minutes before the break.
Table-topping Surbiton will face Holcombe in the other semifinal at the Olympic Park with the final and 3rd/4th play-off the on Sunday, April 17.
The ladies’ 2nds missed out on promotion by just two points on the final day of the season.
Canterbury went down 2-0 at champions Wapping to finish third, two points behind Holcombe 2As in East League Division 1 South.
The 2As finished with a fourth straight loss, going down 3-1 at home to champions Bromley & Beckenham 2nds to finish eighth in Division 2 South East.
After three straight defeats, Canterbury 3rds finished the Kent League, Premier Division season on a high with a 2-1 win over Old Williamsonians at Polo Farm to climb to a final position of eighth.
The 3As suffered a seventh straight defeat in Division 2 and need to beat rock-bottom University of Kent in their final game to avoid finishing in the bottom-two themselves.
There was a rare win for the beleagured Canterbury Pilgrims in Kent/ Sussex Regional 1, prevailing 4-2 at Ashford while the 3rds, like the Pilgrims rockbottom of Regional 2, were edged out 4-3 at Gillingham Anchorians.
The 4ths went down 4-2 at BBHC in Kent Area Divisiojn 1 while the Millers ensured safety in Division 2 with a 3-0 win at home to Old Williamsonians 2nds.
Debutants Olly Neal and Sam Curd joined Jamie Crockett on the scoresheet but Canterbury spurned a host more chances and could have won by doublefigures.
The 5ths lost 4-2 at Sevenoaks 5ths in Kent Open Premier B but the Griffins need just a point from their season finale at home to Maidstone 3rds to avoid relegation from Premier C after battling to a 3-3 draw against rivals Old Bordenian 4ths.
The Squires went down 10-0 at Holcombe 4As in Division 1 but the Friars enjoyed a 4-0 success against Gillingham Anchorians 4ths in Division 3 to climb to fourth.
Paul Lee scored the opening two goals before half-time and James Curtiss slotted the third between the keeper’s legs with Geordie Hayward doing likewise to complete the scoring.
The unbeaten under- 18s overcame Oxford Hawks 2-0 on the road to qualify for the Mercian Premier League playoffs at Surbiton on May 1.