Canterbury Fall Short

ESHER 29 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh

After a poor start when they conceded seventeen points in the first thirteen minutes Canterbury fought their way back into this game but were never quite accurate enough to recover the lost ground. An Esher side looking for a swift return to National Division One after last season’s relegation used the ball more effectively and held up well in defence when the city side’s pack edged matters in the second half. A last ditch cover tackle in the final moments denied Canterbury not only a fourth try but a couple of bonus points and it was a little harsh on them that their battling efforts went unrewarded. After last week’s blistering early spell against Tonbridge Juddians the city side this time found themselves on the receiving end as the hosts helped themselves to three quick tries. A clean break saw Charlie Morgan grab the first after only two minutes, scrum half Pierre Thompson scored number two from a great counter attack and hooker Andy Hamilton broke off a maul to punish a team that was falling off too many tackles. It could have been worse had Sam Morley managed more than one conversion. From that bleak point the city side began their revival act and it was the pack who breathed life into the game as Tyler Oliver crossed the line from a driving maul. Frank Reynolds’ fine conversion from wide out was another booster but Esher struck again when the defence fatally stood off and wing James Botterill broke a tackle to claim the bonus point try. Canterbury needed another score in the ten minutes before half time and found it through a close range forward effort. Prop Pierce Holland powered over and with Reynolds second conversion they were only eight points adrift at the break and back in business. The second half was a far tighter affair but it was the skills of the Esher backs that saw them pull away again as Botterill ghosted into the line from his wing and Morley converted. It was the struggle to open up that kind of space that blighted the city side’s ambitions and they cracked it only once as replacement Tom Best cleverly stepped his way to the posts. Reynolds converted and the team were on the front foot in the closing stages. Wing Jack Weaver looked a certain scorer but he was forced into touch inches from the line and Canterbury went home frustrated.

Canterbury: A.Moss, F.Morgan, G.Jones, L.Hollidge, J.Weaver, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, P.Holland, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacement: E.O.Donoghue, W.McColl, T.Best, P.Farrance, H.Furneaux

Pilgrims First Test

It will be an interesting test for the Pilgrims on Saturday as they play their first Counties One Kent league fixture at home to Beccehamians, kick-off 3pm. After their successful promotion campaign last season they find themselves as the only club second team in the higher league. The side will be captained by scrum half Ben Cooper and the squad has a great mix of youth and experience.

Big Improvement

What a difference a week makes. I was so pleased for the players that within a week they turned the disappointment of Sevenoaks into such a strong performance on Saturday. I obviously love a good lineout maul, and to see it produce five tries and really apply pressure on Tonbridge, was something I really enjoyed. I don’t think Nathan Morris minded getting on the score sheet four times either! There are still a few things for us to tighten up on, but we spoke in the week about getting the job done and the players did that without question.
Looking forward to the weekend, Esher will provide another strong test. Following their season in National 1, they will be keen to return at the first time of asking and have a squad to do so. We are stronger than the last time we played in Esher, and I can’t wait to see the players show what they are capable of. For supporters traveling to Esher please note that the entrance fee is £15

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Canterbury’s Crushing Win

CANTERBURY 45 TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 19

by David Haigh

On a stifling September day it was Canterbury who ran hottest as they crushed Juddians in this feisty Kent derby. The player who applied the heat to the visitors was hooker Nathan Morris who scored four of his side’s seven tries as a dominant pack turned catch and drive opportunities into match winning points. The first Morris score came after only three minutes and by the end of the first quarter Canterbury had secured a four try bonus point and were 26 points ahead. Frank Reynolds’ towering kick into the sun, spilled by the visitors, set up the second try, scored by centre Lewis Hollidge, before Morris twice went to work again in those expertly marshaled mauls. Playing catch up rugby so early in the game set Juddians a serious challenge but they responded with two tries in a four minute spell. Sam Evans opened space for Alex Brown for the first and then lock Perry Parker had his own driving maul moment and Evans converted. It was only a temporary loss of grip for a determined Canterbury and when captain Jamie Stephens took the same route to the line as Morris and Reynolds landed his fourth conversion the city side went into the break 33-12 ahead. A Juddians team looking for salvation made a good start to the second half with a try for hooker Will Holling, and an Evans conversion, but It proved to be their last shot. Canterbury stretched away again as Aiden Moss put a fine finishing touch to some incisive handling, Reynolds adding the extras, and that man Morris was driven over for his fourth on 53 minutes. There was still a twist to the Canterbury tale in the later stages when they were hit by a flurry of cards, one of them a red for lock Shay Kerry. Reduced to defending with twelve men they dug in magnificently to deny Juddians the consolation of a losing bonus point,

Canterbury: A.Moss, F.Morgan, G.Jones, L.Hollidge, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, W.McColl, N.Morris, D.Herriott. S.Kerry, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, C.Murray. Replacements: P.Holland, E.O.Donoghue, H. Furneaux, P.Farrance, T.Best

View match photos

v Tonbridge Juddians - 9 Sept 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

ANOTHER DERBY DAY

Canterbury v Tonbridge Juddians

Last week was not the start we were looking for. Two defensive errors cost us 14 points, added to a handful of converted penalties and we ended one point behind. Alfie Orris’s fantastic solo effort at the death nearly snatched it for us but when reviewing the vast quantity of possession we had in the attacking 22, we were nowhere near clinical enough. We created some great line breaks and built pressure but came up with errors at crucial times. We had some very honest words in the post match huddle and changes have been made for this weekend to give other members of the squad a chance to show what they can bring.

Any fixture against Tonbridge always has an extra degree of excitement due to the local rivalry. We will be looking to fix the wrongs of last week and get our season started this Saturday.

Pilgrims Take Control

SEVENOAKS 2ND 5 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 17

Twenty three players travelled to Sevenoaks, trying to make a new side gel. With changes throughout the game it was not an easy task for Head Coach, Jon Foster, but with some help from the injured First team player Will Waddington, this was achieved. The players however did not always do what they have been asked to do! From the kick off, the visitors made an error that nearly let Oaks in for a try. Dan Huntley, Sonny Trew-Neville and Tom Halliday’s combination nearly gave Pilgrims the lead and more excellent attacking play seemed likely to result in a score, but not to be. Brad Law tried a little grubber kick and chase, still no luck. A couple of penalties, a few line outs, Pilgrims camped in the opposition twenty two, but still no score. Then on 14 minutes, after a great kick and chase by Halliday, and the resulting scrum, Pilgrims got the ball wide to Max Campbell to speed over but Brad failed with his conversion.Jesse De Vries and Freddie Holland-Oliver came on for Dan Huntley and Will Hunt. It should have opened the flood gates, but Sevenoaks were made of sterner stuff. They proceeded to make it difficult for a talented Canterbury side, so much so, after 30 minutes, a missed tackle saw the home side run through to score, but fail to convert. Half-Time arrived with the sides locked 5-5.An excellent team talk by captain, Ben Cooper, and the introduction of Harry Andrews, Tom Mackenzie and Michael Fankah saw the Pilgrims take back control in the second half, but they could not take advantage of all their possession! Knock-ons, poor passing and a lack of patience meant that after 20 minutes it was still level, and all to play for. Even the return after two years recovering from serious injuries of Will Hunt, Seb Clark and Gus Lister was not enough, but they all got through the game without any problems. There was more frustration when Lister broke free, got the ball to Harry Andrews, but when a try was there for the taking, he knocked on! Then Cameron Macmillan, player of the match, peeled of the back of a rolling maul for an unconverted score. More pressure built, Trew-Neville went over and Lister converted.

The final result was correct, but the Pilgrims have much to work on over the next two weeks before they start the league campaign against Beccehamian on Saturday 16th September at The Marine Travel ground. Come along and watch their quest to win in an all Ist XV team league.

CANTERBURY MISS THEIR CHANCES

SEVENOAKS 23 CANTERBURY 22

by David Haigh

The story of this Kent derby on the opening day of the National 2 league season was an all too familiar one for Canterbury. They had the lions share of possession and territory, outscored Oaks by three tries to two but still finished on the wrong end of the scoreline. In the end it was the accuracy of Ben Adams’ goal kicking, three penalties and two conversions, that made the difference but the city side’s ability to squander their assets was the real key. There were echoes of last season’s problems as they failed to make use of their early dominance and Adams booted Oaks into the lead with two penalty goals in the space of three minutes. Frank Reynolds pulled one back but it was not until after a lengthy delay for an unfortunate injury to Sevenoaks fly half Tom Simmonds that Canterbury found a try. The pack’s driving forced a penalty try but it came with a price tag. The referee issued yellow cards to both sides, one to Harvey Furneaux, and restarted the game with a penalty to Oaks. Adams duly obliged from the half way mark and Canterbury reached the break only one point ahead. That should have been an irrelevance given the city side’s domination of the second half but they self destructed. Handling errors, missed overlaps and a back division’s lateral and predictable running played into the grateful arms of a solid home defence. A calm head was missing and all this poor work was punished when mistakes handed Oaks chances to score two tries. Unlike Canterbury they made the most of them. A dropped pass and ball booted upfield saw the home side produce line out ball and a smart move for centre Barney Stone to score. Back went Canterbury and they at last created space for wing Alfie Orris’s unconverted touchdown. That took them within a point but a second error dented their hopes. Full back Lewis Hollidge’s clearance was charged down and Oaks swooped again through Stone. A shocked Canterbury continued to press and after grabbing a third try, scored by replacement Jack Weaver and converted by Reynolds, they seemed poised to snatch the win as Orris broke clear in the last minute. He was stopped a yard short, a penalty was conceded and the side were left to reflect on their own shortcomings.

Canterbury: L.Hollidge, M.Dayes, G.Jones, T.Best, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, P.Holland, N.Morris, D.Herriott, C.Murray, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, H.Furneaux T.Oliver, Replacements, E.O’Donoghue, W.MColl, S.Kerry, T.Williams, J.Weaver

Match preview v Sevenoaks

READY FOR SEVENOAKS

We are back! To think it was four months since our last league game doesn’t seem possible, but lots of work has been going into the team to prepare them for this campaign, and as they say: time flies when your having fun! One of our focuses has been to get the players in better physical shape than last season. Sam Sterling and Tristan King have been taking a section of all sessions to help the players develop their speed and conditioning. This is to complement the squad gym sessions that they run and programme in CT PT. We will find out tomorrow how well this has gone, but from my perspective the players have been working extremely hard in every session and I believe they have become more comfortable operating at a higher intensity for longer.

The new players that Taff Gwilliam and I have brought in have increased the competition for every shirt in the 1st XV and Pilgrims. Most of the new players are already beginning to look like part of the furniture and Alex Veale and I had lots of difficult conversations on Wednesday with very good players who haven’t made the 1st XV this week. I feel like this is an indication of a strong and healthy squad and has moved our environment forward and those players who narrowly missed out have the chance to further their case in the Pilgrims friendly game at Sevenoaks.

That brings me to the weekend. We were very disappointed with our performance in this fixture last season, and we felt that we did not give a good account of ourselves. All our work through the summer has been leading up to this point and the players are raring to go, the preparation is finished, its game time

Matt Corker