Canterbury Hockey Club’s men’s team retained their Men’s Hockey League status with a 7-3 win over already-promoted Sevenoaks.

With Sevenoaks already promoted, Canterbury were in need of a draw in their final Men’s Hockey League Play-Off match to retain their top flight status.

They comfortably ran out 7-3 winners against their local rivals to ensure the Kent Derby becomes a permanent fixture for the 2017/18 season.

With 21 minutes on the clock, Canterbury broke the deadlock with Sam Barrett’s tidy finish, striking low past Dan Curley in the Sevenoaks net. The opening goal was a huge boost to Canterbury and of course allowed them to settle into the game more.

They further stretched their lead in the last few minutes of the half, Will Heywood smacking home an excellent finish from the left after being played in on the counter-attack. Pinching the ball in midfield, Canterbury broke with real aplomb and the celebrations after the second goal showed the potential importance of the strike.

Sevenoaks were not to be written off, and before the interval Chris Barker touched home a penalty corner to halve the deficit.But right on the whistle, Canterbury had a penalty of their own and made it count in fine fashion, Tom Bean lashing home high into the net.

Into the second half, Bean once again converted from a corner to create a three-goal lead, only for Sevenoak’s Duncan Parnish to fire home smartly and make it 4-2 on 47 minutes.

When Sam Barrett tidily made it 5-2 with 14 minutes to go, the game was well and truly over as a contest. Then Hamish Roberts added a sixth and Canterbury were running riot. Parnish then turned home a Sevenoaks corner to score the ninth goal of the afternoon, and the tenth went to ‘Bury’s Bean as he completed his hat trick from penalty corners.

Sevenoaks 3 (1)
Chris Barker, 34 (PC)
Duncan Parnis, 47, 62 (FG, PC)

Canterbury 7 (3)
Sam Barrett, 21, 56 (FG, FG)
Will Heywood, 31 (FG)
Tom Bean, 35, 45, 67 (PC, PC, PC)
Hamish Roberts, 58 (FG)