FOR a second successive season Loughborough Students have put Surbiton out of the end-of-season Premiership play-offs and ended the Thames Ditton side's chance of competing in Europe the following season, writes Sean Cotter.

Last season the Students, who had finished fourth in the National Premier Division, won 3-2 by a golden goal at Surbiton, who finished third.

This Sunday, the two teams, having finished in the same positions after drawing twice in league fixtures, met again, but this time at neutral Canterbury.

The Students took an 11th-minute lead through a Paul Wicken open play goal, but Ben Hawes equalised for Surbiton from a penalty corner four minutes later.

Two careless defensive errors early in the second half cost Surbiton the game.

A trip in the circle conceded a 50th-minute penalty stroke which Glenn Kirkham converted and a misdirected hit out led to Wicken scoring again from open play four minutes later.

A Matt Daly goal from open play eleven minutes from time proved too little too late as the Students held out with some ease.

Unlike the previous year the two teams had had to play a qualifier the previous day, also at the same venue.

Both games went to form with Loughborough beating fifth-placed Hampstead & Westminster by 3-1 and Surbiton sixth-placed Old Loughtonians 5-3.

Ben Hawes from open play and a penalty stroke, Matt Daly from open play and a penalty corner and James Southgate from open play were the Surbiton scorers.

Surbiton: Sheridan T; Southgate, Garrard, Emery, Hawes; Pinnock, Stagno, Richardson, Waugh; Daly, Grice. Subs used: Burns, Cleife, Sheridan A. Subs not used: Dunn, Knight.