Canterbury Ladies made a solid start to their EHL Premier Division campaign by holding champions Leicester to a goalless draw at Polo Farm on Saturday.

Now coached by Ian Jennings, Canterbury fielded a host of new signings including Germany under-21 forward Lisa Hapke and Scotland and GB keeper Abi Walker.

They created the best of the chances in the first half with Cathy Gilliat-Smith and Jen Wilson both going close.

Gilliat-Smith and Tash Brennan were denied in the second period, before Leicester almost snatched a late winner only to be denied by a brilliant diving goal-line clearance by Nat Seymour.

Maidstone Ladies drew 2-2 at home to Harleston Magpies on the opening weekend of the Conference East Division, but it was a bad day for Sevenoaks after they crashed to a 7-0 home defeat against Reading.

There were away wins in the Men’s Conference East Division for both Canterbury and Sevenoaks. Canterbury won 2-1 at City of Peterborough while Sevenoaks triumphed at Ipswich, also 2-1.

There was further success for the county’s teams in the Conference East on Sunday, with wins for both Holcombe and Bromley & Beckenham.

BromBeck beat Chelmsford 4-1 thanks to goals from Matthew Baggs, Robbie Wakeman and a double from Dan Holmes, while Holcombe comfortably defeated Indian Gymkhana by the same score. David Matthews, Jonathan Cooper, Yasser Khan and Liam Foster were the players on target.