Win or you're relegated.

That's the stark reality facing Trojans as they prepare for Saturday's do-or-die England Hockey Premier Division 1 visit to Doncaster.

Nothing other than a victory in Yorkshire will do if Trojans are to stand any chance of making up the four-point gap that separates them from third-from-bottom Harleston Magpies.

And, with only mid-table Bowdon Hightown left to play (Stoneham Lane on Sunday) after the Doncaster visit, time has almost elapsed for the Stoneham girls.

A double defeat against Canterbury (3-1) and Clifton (4-2) nailed Trojans firmly into the bottom two.

Nadine Devereux gave Trojans hope when she levelled the scores shortly after half-time at Canterbury, but hat-trick hero Hayley Brown scored twice in three minutes soon after to end the visitors' hopes.

Alex Danson scored twice in the 4-2 defeat by Clifton, but the Bristol side bagged two goals in the closing nine minutes to inflict Trojans' 14th defeat in 20 league outings.

Southampton gleaned one point out of a possible six from the long north-west Division 3 haul to Preston and Liverpool - but they were denied victory by a last-gasp penalty stroke in the opener and beaten by a late goal by the joint leaders in the second.

All the goals came in the second half of a previously untidy duel with Preston Leyland, but Southampton began to take charge after the break, with Sue Crowley setting up Rebekah Day for the opening goal.

Vicki Turner converted a penalty corner to bring Preston level, but Southampton re-established their lead when Anne Vickerstaff polished off a 56th-minute set piece.

It looked odds-on a Southampton win until visitors' keeper Kim Kreeger was penalised and Ann Johnson grabbed Preston Leyland's face-saving equaliser from the resulting stroke.

Southampton's defence was tested to the full by title-chasing Liverpool Sefton and, after surviving a missed penalty, looked set to grab a creditable goalless draw against the joint leaders.

But, six minutes from time, Debbie Mills notched Liverpool's winner from a penalty corner.

Next weekend Southampton host North London club St Albans at the Sports Centre (12pm).