KENT’S men’s hockey team have made a positive start as they bid to regain the County Championship A Division title. The squad won two of their three matches at East Grinstead to top their group and go through to the semi-finals.

Kent won the title in their first season back in the top division but with this year’s qualifiers being organised on a regional basis, they were in one of the toughest groups.

They launched their campaign with a surprisingly comfortable 4-0 success over Essex, whose squad included two full internationals including England and GB player Nick Thompson.

Canterbury’s Kwan Browne struck twice, with former Canterbury duo Paul Wicken, now with Loughborough Students, and Rob Playford (Beeston) netting the others.

Kent were two down in seven minutes against Hampshire but once into their stride they dominated to emerge convincing 7-2 winners.

Wicken and Playford each scored twice with the other goals coming from Browne, Kevin Johnson (Holcombe) and Diego Attala (Brighton).

Kent went into their final match against Sussex, knowing they only had to avoid a heavy defeat to go through and although a revamped side lost 6-5 it mattered little.

Kent now face a rejuvenated Derbyshire at Cannock on Sunday morning with the winners going through to the afternoon final. Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire contest the other semi.

The Kent squad is coached by Holcombe’s Giles Osborne, now in his third year, and at East Grinstead his squad also included Canterbury keepers Keir Starley and Ben Cowling plus clubmates Danny Laslett, Matt Harper, and Stewart Keir. Sam Bury and Andrew Dunn, also of Canterbury, will be added to the squad for this weekend.