Craig Boyne says that if Canterbury want to remain as a Premier Division hockey club then they need to start acting like one.

Canterbury finished the first half of the Men’s Hockey League season with just four points from 10 games and on Sunday they were beaten in the EH Tier 1 Men’s Championships by a team playing a level below them.

Boyne’s side lost 4-1 at Conference East leaders Oxted and even though he was missing several key players, the player-coach admitted the result was ‘tough to take’.

He said: “We picked a team we thought could win but our performance was poor at best.

“Individuals just didn’t step up which was disappointing.

“Had we stuck to our plans and structures, it was a game we could have won comfortably.

“That’s not to take anything away from Oxted, they’re top of their league for a reason but we didn’t play anywhere near as well as we can.

“The players knew they needed to perform and that there are other people competing hard to take their places, so it was not the response I had hoped for.”

Boyne felt Canterbury were punished for a lack of intensity in Surrey and admits they will need to regain their edge before the National League season resumes in February.

The city club will end the year bottom, level on points with Sevenoaks – against whom all their points have come – but six adrift of Brooklands MU, who have already beaten them 4-1 at Polo Farm this season.

Boyne said: “The players almost took a step backwards because it was a cup game and the last one before Christmas.

“As coaches, we can give them the best advice in the world but the players need to buy into what we’re saying. I do feel for the guys, it’s not easy losing so many games and getting kicked around but there has to be some accountability.

“We are a Premier Division side and have to start acting like one.”