Canterbury hockey club set sights on reaching final of the Maxifuel Super Sixes national indoor competition
by Alex Hoad
Kwan Browne says Canterbury’s men
must avoid the second-half slump which has hampered their last two
national indoor campaigns when they return to action at Burton
on Saturday.
In 2010 and 2011, the city club
produced accomplished performances in the opening weekend of the
Maxifuel Super Sixes competition, winning three of their opening
four games.
However, both times they went on to
lose three of the four games on the second weekend, missing out on
a place at Finals Day.
This time, Canterbury took just
seven points from their first four games at St George’s Park,
recovering from an 11-2 drubbing by East Grinstead to beat
Loughborough Students 7-5 and Bowdon 2-1 before being held to a 5-5
draw by Reading.
They must face leaders Beeston in
the next stage, as well as struggling Surbiton and Old
Loughtonians, who have just one win combined from their eight games
so far.
The top four after the last
four fixtures this weekend will reach the Finals at Wembley Arena
on January 27.
Canterbury sit fifth but just a
point behind third-placed Reading and player-coach Browne
(pictured) said: "Hopefully we can do enough to get
through.
"It will still be tough because
teams bring all their missing players back for the second weekend,
but we have given ourselves a chance.
"We have only got one more of the
big-guns to play in Beeston and if we can win the other three
games, then we will go through, it’s as simple as that."
Canterbury Ladies sit third in
the table, three points clear of fifth-placed Reading, going into
the second round of fixtures at Bromsgrove School.
They face winless University of
Birmingham on Saturday but also take on fourth-placed Sutton
Coldfield, second-placed Bowdon Hightown and leaders Leicester who
have won all four games.
Skipper Nikki Triggs said: "We are
hoping to have a few senior players back and go in hopeful that we
can build on the good work we did on the opening weekend.
"Our thoughts have turned from trying to stay up to qualifying
for the finals – hopefully we can keep the momentum going and do
that."
02/01/13
- Click here for more Canterbury news...
- Click here for more news from across the county...