Player-coach Jen Wilson was satisfied after Canterbury Ladies confirmed their Investec National Premier Division Championship play-off spot with a tight 1-0 win at Bowdon Hightown.

Wilson herself struck the only goal from a penalty corner four minutes from time to take the city club 13 points clear of the chasing pack with just four games remaining.

Canterbury are three points adrift of second-placed Clifton with Surbiton another three points ahead after coming from behind to beat University of Birmingham late on. However, Wilson claimed her side remained motivated for the run-in, starting at Reading on Sunday (2.30pm).

She said: “It’s nice to see we’re over the line, but it doesn’t really mean anything of great importance at this stage. We are pleased to have done it, but I’ve not been counting down until we did it or anything.

“In the last four games we are focusing on our performance levels as that’s where we feel we can make huge gains. We have worked on our fitness and it is showing in our defensive record, we look very difficult to score against.

“We want to finish as high as we can, of course, but at the end of the season the top-four teams deserve to be there.”

Canterbury started Saturday’s game in Manchester game full of energy and with fast passing play creating a couple of early chances which were not capitalised on. Hightown crept into the game towards the end of the first half but there were no real threats to the defence despite the presence of Tina Cullen, an ex-GB international in the Hightown forward line.

After a goalless first-half, the second proved a little fraught at times with Canterbury lacking fluidity.

The breakthrough came four minutes from time when the visitors were awarded a short corner with Wilson snatching a rebound from a Nikki Triggs shot to secure the points and Canterbury’s place in the end of season showpiece at the Olympic Park in April.

Wilson added: “It’s always a close game at Bowdon, but even more so when they have so much to play for – down at the bottom they can play high-risk hockey and go for everything. We dominated them though, we had 40 circle entries to their 16 and we deserved to win.”