Three goals in the final 12 minutes condemned Canterbury Ladies to defeat at Surbiton, meaning the Investec National Premier Division title is set to go down to the wire.

Needing to win to stay four points ahead of second-placed Reading, Canterbury slipped to just their second loss of the season at the ground where their hopes of finishing top of the table were ended on the final day of last season.

The hosts took an early lead through Sarah Page after eight minutes, and it was not until just before the hour that Sophie Fisher-Norton made it 2-0.

Player-coach Jen Wilson gave the city club hope, halving the deficit with six minutes remaining, however Abi Robinson made it 3-1 two minutes later and added a fourth from a penalty corner two minutes from time.

They host rock-bottom and pointless Olton & West Warwicks on Saturday (5pm), with a last-day trip to play-ff chasing Clifton to follow.

Surbiton also got the better of Canterbury’s men on Sunday, sealing the final play-off place in NOW Pensions National Premier Division and leaving Canterbury to plan for next season.

The hosts opened the scoring through Will Calnan on 14 minutes and two goals in four minutes from Alan Forsyth, the first a penalty stroke, blew the game open inside 25 minutes.

Liam Foster pulled one back almost immediately, however after the break James Tindall made it 4-1, Calnan got his second and Matt Daly converted a penalty corner to seal an emphatic win.

Canterbury are sixth, 10 points clear of the bottom-two but 11 adrift of their conquerers in fourth, with just two games to go.