Canterbury slipped nine-points behind the final play-off place in NOW Pensions National Premier Division after going down 7-4 at East Grinstead on Sunday.

The city club suffered a 9-1 defeat against the perennial title-chasers at Polo Farm early in the season but stormed out of the blocks with Liam Foster converting a penalty corner after just four minutes.

Iain Lewers levelled from a penalty stroke five minutes later but Foster’s second PC strike gave the city club a 2-1 lead.

Two goals in as many minutes from the hosts turned the game around, with Mark Glenhorne levelling on 22 minutes and Mark Pearn giving EGs their first lead.

It was 4-2 just four minutes later as Ross Scott found the net and seven minutes after the break it was five as Pearn grabbed his second.

Louis Duprez pulled one back for the hosts from a penalty corner three minutes later and Kwan Browne converted another set-piece to bring the visitors within a goal with 20 minutes remaining.

However Niall Stott made it 6-4 15 minutes from time and Mark Glenhorne sealed the points from a penalty corner eight minutes from time.

Canterbury remain sixth in the table but with just seven games to play after the mid-season break, fourth-placed Surbiton are nine points ahead with a vastly superior goal-difference.

Canterbury Ladies remain three points clear at the top of the Investec National Premier Division going into the Christmas break after a 2-1 win at University of Birmingham on Saturday.

Nikki Kidd kept up her hot scoring form with the opener from a penalty corner after four minutes, only for Alice Sharp to level from a penalty stroke seven minutes before the break.

Player-coach Jen Wilson secured the points and a fifth straight win for Canterbury 15 minutes from time to leave the city club three points clear of second-placed Reading and now 10 clear of the play-off chasing pack, with just seven games remaining when the league resumes in February.