A true relegation 6-pointer and a must-win game, with M1 in the relegation zone but only 3 points behind their near neighbours.

Folkestone started the game brightly, with an aggressive press led by youngsters Josh Bondzio and Isaac Hopkin immediately causing Canterbury problems and resulting in good field possession. After a sustained period of pressure we took the lead, a George Herd break up the right leading to a tap in from close range from Will Mead.

Mead was beginning to run the Canterbury defenders a merry dance, and we looked certain to extend our lead, so it was against the run of play when a harmless ball into the Folkestone D was needlessly put back into play by keeper Gaz Witham, straight to the Canterbury centre forward. 1-1.

1 minute later Canterbury were somehow ahead, as a lifted ball in the centre of the pitch caused chaos in the Folkestone defence, and a penalty corner was awarded. Canterbury converted through the Folkestone runners and post man to go 2-1 up.

With the oppo now ahead, the fear was that Folkestone would now lose their heads. But instead we equalized immediately from the PB, Aidan Smith releasing Mead on the right, who turned his man inside out before firing past the keeper. 2-2 HT.

With Canterbury now very much in it, Q3 was much tighter, with Folkestone having the better opportunities but the Canterbury keeper proving equal to the task. It looked increasingly likely that a set piece would settle it, but Canterbury's runners were rapid out of the blocks and smothered our shots, while at the other end Mat Neeson brilliantly kept a shot out of the top corner to keep the scores level.

Going into the final quarter Canterbury continued to fight, with the Folkestone advanced players running themselves into the ground in order to shut off space. Eventually with 2 minutes to go, a long Mat Neeson ball release Mead who had only the keeper to beat, but couldn't convert - only for the covering defender to concede the foul. The resulting PC was switched and shot across goal, and after an initial save Aidan Smith converted from close range to seal a vital win.

The result puts survival back in M1s hands, and the gutsy performance will give us added impetus going into the last few. Next up - Sittingbourne at home.