MATT HARPER is confident Canterbury Hockey Club have the strength in depth to cope with the loss of Chris Pryce, who has joined East Grinstead.

Canterbury had hoped the England Under-21 captain would stay at Polo Farm following their relegation from the Slazenger English Hockey League Premier Division last season but Pryce has moved to Sussex for the sake of his internatonal career.

Harper, about to start his second season as skipper, admitted that losing Pryce was a blow but he felt the club would recover.

He said: "We had hoped Chris would stay at the end of the last season but he’s keen to further his international career and it’s understandable that he should want to play in the Premier Division.

"It’s disappointing to lose him but he goes with our best wishes and I think we have the players to cope."

Apart from Pryce, and ex-skipper Stewart Keir, who has retired from first team hockey, Canterbury have retained the nucleus of last season’s squad as well as well as welcoming back Andy Magro, now finished at university and back at Polo after a spell with Manchester side Brooklands.

Harper added: "It’s good to have Andy back and there is a possibility that we may have one or two other new players before the season starts."

Canterbury will be coached this year by Andy Spight, while former coach Darrell Cassidy hopes to play once he has served a suspension for the red card he received in the Kent Cup final last season.

The club will start their campaign in Division 1 South on Saturday, September 27 away to City of Peterborough and their build-up includes a trip to Lille for a tournament involving teams from France and Germany on August 30-31, plus the Chelmsford tournament the folllowing weekend.

They will also play Premier Division new boys Southgate.