CANTERBURY men’s skipper Stewart Keir is refusing to panic despite the club finishing the first half of hockey’s National League season in the bottom two.

Sunday’s 4-4 home draw with fellow strugglers Old Loughtonians means Canterbury have won just once in nine matches.

Canterbury are away to third-placed Loughborough Students on Saturday and Keir, whose side only stayed up after a thrilling play-off penalty shoot-out last season, said: "There’s no need for panic.

"We’re only halfway through the season. There are another nine games to go and we still have to play all the teams around us again."

Keir believes the quality of Canterbury’s hockey belies their lowly position but he admits they do have a big problem protecting leads.

He added: "Some of the hockey we’re playing is, at times, brilliant but we’re just a little bit naive when it comes to holding on to a lead."