Canterbury live to fight another day in NOW: Pensions Premier Division after a nail-biting last day victory ensured they would avoid relegation and now go into a play-off for survival.

After one win in their opening 13 games, the city club won four of their last five, cultinating in Sunday’s 2-1 win at Southgate, which was enough to ensure the city club finished second-bottom and condemned the hosts to relegation to the second tier.

Canterbury - who finished just a point away from complete safety – won 2-1 with goals coming either side of half-time from Wei Adams and Francesco Montoya, before Darren Cheesman set up a tense finale 17 minutes from time.

They now face a play-off series at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London on April 11 and 12 against Bowdon, Team Bath and Holcombe - winners of the Conference North, West and East - with two places up for grabs in next season’s Premier Division.

Holcombe Ladies face a last-day battle of their own to qualify for the Investec Premier Division Championship play-offs at the Olympic Park the following weekend.

A win in Saturday evening’s Kent derby at Canterbury would have ensured Holcs claimed the final play-off spot, however Mel Clewlow struck the only goal of the game after 18 minutes from a penalty corner.

The city club just need a point at home to Clifton in the season finale on Saturday (2pm) to ensure second spot, while the game will be a dress rehearsal for a play-off semi-final against the same opponents in London on April 18.

On Saturday (2pm) Holcombe travel to leaders Surbiton needing to match fifth-placed Reading’s result at home to Leicester to seal their play-off place, though the University of Birmingham could still sneak fourth if they win against Buckingham and both Holcs and Reading lose.