Canterbury Ladies crashed out of the National Indoor Hockey Championships in Nottingham at the first hurdle on Saturday evening.

The city club faced Leicester in the opening semi-final game at the TrentFM Arena and after a cagey opening, Lucy Barnes put Canterbury ahead on eight minutes when she slotted low inside the near post past England under-21 keeper Maddie Hinch, who had already foiled two penalty corner attempts.

Great Britain international Rebecca Herbert however equalised within three minutes with a fine solo goal and Jen Wilson just failed to restore Canterbury's lead after rounding Hinch, but failing to turn the ball into the unguarded net.

After the break another fine goal from Chloe Rogers put the Midlands side ahead and despite Natalie Seymour, pictured in action for England, going close from a penalty corner, it needed a superb goalline block from Mel Clewlow at the other end to keep the deficit to one.

However Rogers sealed the win a minute from time and Leicester went on to win their first title since 1978, beating Slough on penalties in Sunday's final.