Canterbury captain Tom Richford says his team are “back from the dead” in the NOW: Pensions Premier Division survival fight ahead of their final day showdown at Southgate.

The city club’s hopes of avoiding finishing bottom and automatic relegation remain in their own hands with one game remaining, despite a 9-4 defeat to leaders East Grinstead on Sunday.

The city club are bottom, behind Southgate on goal-difference and three points adrift of Hampstead & Westminster, with those two teams having to play each other on Saturday, while Canterbury visit Southgate on Sunday (2pm) in the season finale.

If Hampstead beat Southgate by three goals or more then a draw would be enough for Canterbury to avoid automatic relegation on the final day, placing them instead into a relegation play-off against a Division 1 side.

If the teams draw, then Canterbury must beat Southgate to ensure a play-off place, while if Southgate beat Hampstead, then Canterbury could yet ensure complete safety by finishing third-bottom, so long as they beat Southgate well and Hampstead lose heavily at Wimbledon on the final day.

Richford said: “We have nothing to lose. Three weeks ago we were dead and buried but we’ve given ourselves a chance – it is in our hands and that’s all you can ask.

“It’s all about us, what will be will be on Saturday but we are confident that we can go out and do what we have to do on Sunday which is win. It’s nice to have the ball in our court – we’ve needed other results to go our way and that has happened.”

He added: “East Grinstead are top of the table and we matched them on Sunday, despite everything that went on.

“We should have Kwan Browne and Michael Farrer back and we’re raring to go. I am sure there will be nerves but they will be positive ones.

“We have had to fight to be in this position and our recent form shows we have every right to stay in the Premier Division.”