Canterbury, Sevenoaks and Holcombe are set to battle it out for a place in the Wembley Finals of the Maxinutrition Hockey 5s.

The Kent sides are all in the nine-strong men’s Premier Division which played the first four games of their campaign in Birmingham on Saturday and Sunday.

Canterbury sit fourth - in the final spot for a place at Wembley in February - at the midway stage after completing their weekend with an 11-5 win over Doncaster.

Hardeep Jawanda fired a hat-trick while Kwan Browne, Ben Allberry, Liam Foster and Mickel Pierre bagged two apiece.

The city club had began Sunday’s action with a cruel 8-7 defeat against East Grinstead thanks to Niall Stott’s winner in the dying seconds.

Canterbury had battled back to level with Pierre and Browne scoring two apiece, with Browne making it 7-7 a minute from time.

On Saturday Browne scored four as Canterbury overcame Loughborough Students 8-3 while they suffered a heartbreaking last-minute loss against old foes Reading after a thrilling opening game.

Tom Richford and Jawanda scored twice and Allberry and Foster ensured it was 6-6 in the final minute, only for GB international Simon Mantell to fire the decisive 13th goal of the game.

They sit fourth, three points behind second-placed Reading, and a point ahead of fifth-placed Sevenoaks who are themselves one ahead of sixth-placed Holcs.

On Sunday Holcombe suffered a 6-2 reverse against East Grinstead in their final game while Sevenoaks were held 4-4 by Loughborough Students.

Holcs had earlier seen-off Sevenoaks 8-3 in their penultimate game.

James Stedman fired a hat-trick and GB ace Dan Fox got two more while George Torry grabbed a late double for Oaks.

On Saturday Sevenoaks defeated Doncaster 5-2 following a dramatic 6-6 draw with Bowdon during which Oaks scored three in the final three minutes.

In their second game Holcs were edged-out 5-4 by Bowdon, despite having led 4-3 with three minutes to go, but Michael Hughes’ last-gasp strike earned the Medway side a thrilling 9-9 draw against Beeston in their opening game, with Dan Coultas scoring four times.

An imperious goalscoring run from Nikki Kidd put Canterbury Ladies in sight of a place at Finals Day.

Kidd netted 11 times in four games at Bromsgrove School, while former Canterbury player and more recently England cricket star Susie Rowe bolstered their ranks, scoring four more, as the city club finished the first half of their campaign sat fourth on goal difference, three points behind second and five adrift of leaders Slough.

Kidd scored six as the city club thumped Olton & West Warwicks 11-4 on Sunday.

Five goals in four minutes at the start of the second half did the damage, with Rowe also bagging a hat-trick and Nikki Lloyd and Jen Wilson sealing the rout late-on.

Kidd scored two more as Canterbury came from behind to beat Harleston Magpies 7-5.

The Norfolk side were 3-0 ahead after four minutes but doubles from Kidd and her Scotland teammate Lloyd and others from Wilson and Mel Clewlow secured the points.

The previous day Kidd had scored twice and Rowe another as the city club fell to an 8-3 defeat against table-toppers Slough.

Their tournament began with a 5-5 draw with Sutton Coldfield.

Grace Balsdon bagged two and Kidd and Lloyd were also on target while Clewlow popped in a late equaliser.

Canterbury face Reading, Leicester, East Grinstead and Bowdon Hightown - who include former Canterbury skipper Susannah Townsend in their side - in the second weekend on January 4 and 5.

The Maxinutrition Hockey 5s Finals will be played on February 2 at Wembley Arena. More information and tickets are available from www.englandhockey.co.uk/maxi5s