by Alex Hoad

Canterbury star Mel Clewlow couldn’t hide her disappointment after Canterbury Ladies missed out on a place in Europe, having to settle for a third-placed finish in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Finals.

The city club faced hosts Reading on Saturday night, knowing a win would earn them a place in European competition next season and a final tie against reigning champions Leicester, however they went down 5-1.

Defender Clewlow said: "We were disappointed. It wasn’t a 5-1 game but we lost to the better team. We really blew our chance of Europe when we lost to Surbiton in the last game of the season (when a win would have sealed top-spot and a European place)."

Canterbury did rally the following day to beat Surbiton 3-2 to secure third-place and £750 prize money.

Clewlow said: "It was good to finish with a victory because if we’d lost we’d have ended a pretty good season with three straight defeats and have had to wait three or four months to put things right."

Clewlow admitted there were "question-marks about next season" with several key players likely to leave.

Dom Masters and Lucy Hyams could move to the USA on sports scholarships while Eliza Brett and Charlotte Pape will make decisions on their future based on their university prospects.

Clewlow added: "There are always question-marks about the centralised players (Susannah Townsend and Dilly Newton).

"It’s a big ask for them to come back from Bisham to Canterbury for training. They didn’t do it this year, will they next year? It’s too early to know."

She added: "It feels like we are forever firefighting to try and compete.

"If we can keep the squad, together then we have a chance. Jade wants to come back but we’ll have to see what we can do in terms of visas and things."