Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Leave nothing to chance
Hockey
Bullish Craig Boyne hopes Canterbury can showcase their top-flight quality and secure their Premier Division status at the Olympic Park this weekend.
After another second-bottom finish, it is the city club’s third straight year playing in the promotion/relegation playoffs at Lee Valley – where they will also return the following weekend to face Reading in the National Cup final.
The city club made a fine start to the four-team, roundrobin campaign, coming from behind to record a 4-1 win over the University of Durham, who were unbeaten at the Nottingham Hockey Centre while Sevenoaks edged Team Bath Buccaneers 3-2.
On Saturday, Canterbury face Team Bath Buccaneers at 2pm, with Sevenoaks and the University of Durham facing off at 4pm.
On Sunday, Canterbury take on Sevenoaks at 11.30am with Bath and Durham playing at the same time.
With the top two sides playing Premier Division hockey next season, a win against Bath would all-but ensure Canterbury’s top-flight status and the Australian skipper said: “That’s the plan. If we can do it in the first game then great – last year we put extra pressure on ourselves by losing the second game.
“I don’t want to lose to anyone. I want us to show we deserve to play in the top flight.
“To me, losing to a team from the division below is not acceptable. To a degree, winning all three games would send out a message that we belong in the Premier Division.”
Canterbury have been hit by international call-ups for Josh Pollard (Australia) and Wei Adams (Scotland) and Boyne added: “They are two quality players and we’ll miss them.”
Boyne is, however, available after missing the opening round two weeks ago while Will Heywood can play after making his England under-21 debut last week, Tom Bean is back after concussion and Hamish Roberts could feature after recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
Despite it being a third trip to Lee Valley in as many seasons, Boyne added: “The majority of our guys haven’t actually played there before so it will be good for them to experience everything the week before we play in the final there.”
Canterbury Ladies are seeking to raise £2,000 toward the cost of their trip to contest the Eurohockey Club Cup in the Netherlands in June.
Den Bosch will host the tournament from June 2-5 and the city club are seeking help to cover the costs of travel, meals, accommodation and kit and have launched a Crowd Funding page which is available via the club’s Facebook page and www.polofarm.org/clhc
A side comprising girls from Canterbury’s under-16s, under14s and an under-12s suffered a 3-1 defeat against a side from Dutch club Derby HC on Monday.