Canterbury men's team challenged by East Grinstead at Polo Farm on Sunday Picture: Chris Davey

Canterbury women’s National Premier Division title charge looks set to come down to the wire as they lead reigning champions Leicester by a point with two games left.

The city club produced another superb performance with a 5-1 win at the University of Birmingham on Saturday.

Eliza Brett put the city club ahead after 11 minutes and despite the students replying after 28 minutes, Jade Mayne put the visitors back in front two minutes before the break.

Sarah Kerly added the third after 49 minutes and Brett got her second five minutes later, with Mayne doing likewise on the hour to seal the win.

Leicester won on Saturday and Sunday to close the gap on Canterbury and the two sides have now played the same number of games.

Leicester are a point behind, meaning Canterbury need to beat second-bottom Olton & West Warwicks at Polo Farm on Saturday and hope Leicester lose at the University of Birmingham to clinch the title, otherwise top-spot will be decided by Canterbury’s final day meeting with Surbiton.

The play-off race in the men’s Premier Division is even more tense with Canterbury occupying the final play-off place on goal difference after their 3-2 defeat by East Grinstead at Polo Farm on Sunday.

The city club played out a tense goalless first half but fell behind seven minutes after the turnaround.

Kwan Browne’s penalty corner conversion drew the hosts level 10 minutes later but it took just two minutes for East Grinstead to restore their lead from a set piece of their own and the game was all but up on 59 minutes when the visitors added a third.

An own-goal gave the city club a lifeline three minutes from time but they could not find a leveller and slipped to fourth, level on points with Cannock, who suffered a shock home defeat to Hampstead & Westminster, and a point ahead of East Grinstead with just two games to play.

Cannock face East Grinstead on Saturday, while Canterbury host second-bottom Southgate, with an intriguing last-day clash between Cannock and Canterbury to follow.