Canterbury head coach Matt Corker says National League 2 East derby with Sevenoaks is a chance to showcase side’s improvement

A season-ending home derby provides Canterbury with the perfect opportunity to show how far they have progressed this term.

They will welcome Sevenoaks to Merton Lane in National League 2 East today (Saturday).

Ironically, having started their season with a 23-22 defeat to Oaks in early September, they end the campaign against the same opposition - keen to show how much they have improved as they look to secure a seventh-placed finish.

Head coach Matt Corker said: “It’s quite a congested part of the table. They (Sevenoaks) have had a great run lately.

“They will definitely be highly motivated and fighting for points. This is another of our straight-rival games that’s a great part of the league.

“Our first game of the season was actually away to Sevenoaks, where we lost. It’s taken a long time - but we’re now in a place to show how far we have come.”

It will be a big day for the club, on and off the pitch, with the sponsors’ lunch taking place.

While a seventh-placed finish for Canterbury would be an improvement on last term, when they came 10th, only eight points separate seventh and 11th-placed Sevenoaks.

Corker stated: “We want to be able to show, with our league position, we have taken a step forward. The league is very competitive and that’s part of the privilege for us. We want to be tested.

“It’s not a 25-game season - it’s a 26-game season - and this is the last game.

“It’s a bit of an interesting quirk, having a week off before the final game. There’s just one more but still work to be done.”

It’s county finals day at Canterbury on Sunday.

Cliffe Crusaders take on Ash in the Kent Salver (12pm), Whitstable face Brockleians in the Kent Vase (1pm), the Kent Plate sees Beccehamians 2nds up against Thanet Wanderers