Canterbury got off to a storming start in their opener in the Women’s Premier League on Saturday against newly promoted Sutton Coldfield with three goals in the first six minutes, one apiece from Hayley Brown, skipper Lucy Barnes, and Sarah Kerly (does that surname sound familiar?). Canterbury added a fourth in the fifteenth minute courtesy of Christina Houslop. But if Canterbury had their foot on the gas pedal, it soon became apparent that there was not much in the tank. Katie Long fired a warning shot for Sutton when she converted a penalty corner just before the break, and as the match progressed there seemed every possibility that Sutton might get back into the match. Missing their recently returned internationals, Mel Clewlow and Jenny Wilson, Canterbury struggled to stay in control of this match and might consider themselves lucky to have held onto the 4-1 lead. It was not so much a game of two halves as a game of one half. In a double header event at the Polo Farm ground, Canterbury’s men faced Cannock in the men’s Premier Division forty-five minutes later. Canterbury made some of the early running, and Cannock would have been one down in the opening minutes had it not been for a fine save by James Fair. Going behind to a field goal by Hardeep Jawander and then a penalty corner strike by the same player, did not seem to seriously dent their prospects. A classical David Matthews corner conversion and a field goal by Matt Harper sent the two teams into the break on level terms. The second half seemed a different proposition, with Cannock taking control of the match. Hero of Monchengladbach, Martin Jones, scored just after the break. Minutes later, a Cannock player was upended in the ‘D’ and Simon Ramsden stepped up to convert the resultant stroke. Cannock made it five when Ramsden coverted a penalty corner. These results put Canterbury women at the top of their table and Cannock at the head of the men’s premier. Other results in the Men’s Premier Division have almost turned the tables on their head, with lowly Beeston going to third place after a 6-1 victory over fellow strugglers, Belper. East Grinstead’s 5-4 win over front runners Reading propels them into second place and Reading slip back to fifth.
Today (Sunday) saw Round three of the men’s Cup, where the remaining teams are joined by the EHL Div 1 clubs. There were no real surprises except for Exeter University’s 3-0 win over Bath Buccaneers. The students are currently in 8th place in the EHL South Division, whilst Bath are 5th in Division 1.
