CANTERBURY Hockey Club are to host the HA Cup finals at Polo Farm on Sunday, April 13.

The club have twice staged the event before but not for several years and beat off competition from several other bidders.

Chairman Richard Goodenough said the club considered it an honour to be awarded the finals, which usually take place at Milton Keynes, shortly to become the home of Wimbledon Football Club.

Mr Goodenough said: “What happened is that the National Stadium at Milton Keynes is out of action so they were looking for clubs to take on the bigger tournaments.

“There are only a few with the facilities to do so but one of the things that went in our favour was the fact we had staged these sort of things before.

“We’ve got a good record and it’s particularly satisfying for us that they thought we’d be capable of organising the event at such short notice.”

Mr Goodenough says he will probably chair a small organising committee also comprising Sally Hayes, from the club’s ladies, and Mike Nee, the Polo Farm Sports Centre manager.

“It’s only four teams and two matches so it’s not like having dozens of games going on, but we will need to organise press rooms and medical rooms,” he added.

Canterbury Ladies skipper Mel Clewlow said it was her hope Canterbury might be awarded international fixtures in the future.

She said: “It’s great news for everyone at the club, and a good opportunity for people to come and watch. Milton Keynes is fantastic, but the crowd’s so far away from the action.

“If we put on a good show then hopefully some international fixtures will come our way.”