Susannah Townsend in action against Bowdon at Polo Farm on Saturday

Susannah Townsend scored both goals as EuroCanterbury Ladies beat Bowdon Hightown 2-1 to stay second in the England Hockey League Women’s Premier Division at Polo Farm on Saturday.

All the scoring came in the first quarter of an hour from open play, with Tina Cullen putting the visitors ahead, only for Townsend to level a minute later.

She got the winner soon afterwards, and the victory keeps the City club a point behind leaders Leicester with a game in hand. The East Midlands club boosted their goal difference with a 5-1 win at strugglers Olton & West Warwicks.

Canterbury men were seconds away from earning a Premier Division point at Bowdon on Sunday, only to concede a last minute penalty corner and lose 3-2.

They battled back from 2-0 down after half an hour with a double strike by Mickel Pierre, either side of the home team’s Simon Egerton missing a penalty stroke, but he then made amends with the late winner.

The defeat, Canterbury’s eighth in 12 games, leaves them bottom, two points behind Brooklands, who were beaten 6-2 at Reading, with a game in hand.