Canterbury and Holcombe gave their hopes of lining up alongside one another in next season’s national Premier Division a huge boost as they won their opening games of the NOW: Pensions Promotion Tournament at Cannock on Sunday.

Canterbury crushed Conference West Champions Team Bath Buccaneers 7-1 to sit top of the four-team round-robin table after the first of three fixtures.

Aussie frontman Craig Boyne, whose goals have done so much to help the city club avoid automatic relegation from the top flight, broke the deadlock after 17 minutes and that was how it stayed until 40 minutes when he doubled the advantage himself.

Harry Roberts made it 3-0 after 47 minutes but Tim Davenport pulled one back just on 53 minutes, though Boyne responded within seconds to make it 4-1 and complete his hat-trick.

Skipper Tom Richford made it five on the hour and Kwan Browne added a sixth before Boyne finished a memorable day with the final goal from a penalty corner.

Rochester club Holcombe, champions of Conference East, inflicted a thrilling 4-3 defeat on Bowdon, who were unbeaten Conference North winners.

It was the Manchester side who broke the deadlock after seven minutes through Mike Shaw’s penalty corner, but Holcs hit back with two in two minutes from James Stedman and Stephane Vehrle-Smith to lead after 10 minutes.

A penalty stroke from Simon Egerton made it 2-2 after 23 minutes but Gareth Andrew put Holcs back ahead before the interval.

Shaw netted his second penalty corner to level the scores again after 40 minutes but there were just nine minutes to go when Andrew secured the vital winner with his second.

The two Kent sides meet in the opening game of the day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday, April 11, with the winner assured of a place in next seson’s Premier Division, while the final round of games as the following day.