Skipper Tom Richford was thrilled after Canterbury gave their hopes of lining up in next season’s national Premier Division a huge boost with a “clinical” win in the opening game of the NOW: Pensions Promotion Tournament.

Canterbury beat Conference West champions Team Bath Buccaneers 7-1 at Cannock on Sunday to sit top of the four-team round-robin table after the first of three rounds of fixtures.

A delighted Richford said: “We were clinical. We did exactly what we wanted to do and we are pleased. The job is not done yet, though.”

Aussie frontman Craig Boyne, whose goals did so much to help the city club avoid automatic relegation from the top flight, completed his third hat-trick in four games to make it 14 goals in eight appearances for the club.

Holcombe, champions of Conference East, inflicted a thrilling 4-3 defeat on Bowdon, who were unbeaten Conference North winners in the other game.

The two Kent sides meet in the opening game of the day at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday, April 11, with the winner assured of a place in next season’s Premier Division, while the final round of games is the following day.

Richford said it won’t be until after the second round of games that Canterbury get an idea of how good a result the Bath victory was.

He said: “We know the other teams a bit more than Bath, having played them in previous seasons but all three teams won their leagues and there are no easy games.

“Once the second games are out the way it will be a good indicator of the relative strengths of the teams.

“We need to keep the intensity high and the speed of our game. Bath couldn’t live with us. The speed and intensity that we are used to in the Premier Division is higher than the division below and hopefully that will benefit us in the next two games.”

Canterbury will play three friendlies at the Lee Valley centre in the days leading up to the Holcombe match.