Month: October 2023

CANTERBURY 31 DORKING 36

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s habit of playing second half catch-up gave National 2 East league leaders Dorking plenty to think about but it was the visitors defensive strengths that eventually saw them maintain their unbeaten record and take home a bonus point win. Two tries in the first ten minutes after the break gave the visitors a 22 point lead and the game seemed to be in their pocket. But the city side, as they had the previous week, found a second wind and four minutes from the end Shay Kerry’s converted try had closed the gap to eight points. It was tantalisingly close but not quite enough although continuing pressure won a penalty and Canterbury took the pragmatic decision to kick it and claim a second bonus point. Dorking, with the confidence of five wins under their belt, took an early lead through a Henry Anscombe penalty goal and Fraser Mosely’s converted try before Canterbury got their act together. Two sniping tries by scrum half Ben Cooper, the first from a maul, the second after a strong carry from prop Billy Young, newly returned from the collapsed Jersey club, kept them in the hunt but Dorking were still good value for a 24-14 half way lead. Their scores were made by former Canterbury forward Will Scholes and wing Will Sanders with Anscombe topping up both tries. They built impressively on that advantage early in the second half with a catch and drive try by hooker Jonny Ellis and a seering long range run from wing Toby McCrae who outpaced every one on his way to the line. Canterbury were left with that old cliche ringing in their ears ‘a mountain to climb’ but after McCrae’s brilliant effort they quickly began the ascent. Within two minutes Aiden Moss collected a clearance kick, speared though and Alfie Orris finished off after good link work with Jamie Stephens. Reynolds converted and Canterbury kept on coming, It was now that Dorking’s defenders dug in and under intense pressure repelled all attacks. When Canterbury exhausted the unproductive catch and drive route they finally made the breach as Kerry muscled his way over the line from a tap penalty, too late however to influence the result.

Canterbury: A.Davies (repl F.Morgan), A.Moss, G.Jones, L.Hollidge (repl T.Best), A.Orris, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, P.Holland (repl B.Young), N.Morris (repl E.O’Donoghue), D.Herriott, S.Kerry, J.De Vries, J Stephens, S.Rogers, T.Oliver (repl H.Furneaux)

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

WORTHING RAIDERS 38 CANTERBURY 45

by David Haigh

Pack power won this game for a Canterbury side that came from fifteen points down to claim a bonus point victory which lifts them into the top half of the National 2 East table. The catch and drive proved to be a lethal weapon, producing four of their five tries with hooker Nathan Morris claiming a hat trick for the second time this season. Fly half Frank Reynolds was anther major contributor, his twenty points made up of four conversions and four penalty goals, adequate compensation for the charged down kick that handed Raiders an early lead through Joe Knight’s converted try. The first half set the tone, a contest between Canterbury’s powerful scrummagers and a pacy Worthing back division in which full back Tom Bowen was a constant danger. Thanks to his two tries, plus conversions and a penalty goal from Tom Derrick the home side led by four points at the end of a hotly contested half. Jamie Stephens countered the early Worthing try through the inevitable catch and drive, Reynolds slotted two penalty goals and three minutes before the break Morris touched down as the Worthing forwards splintered. In the first twenty minutes of the second half the Raiders took charge and inflicted what could have been terminal damage to Canterbury’s hopes. Reynolds landed an early penalty goal but when the home side were handed possession from avoidable errors the backs struck through converted tries from wing Peter Drummond and the elusive Bowen. Going into the final quarter the scoreboard read 23-38. The way back was pointed by centre Garry Jones, the pick of the city side’s threequarter line, who ran in from half way, after ball was turned over, and the forwards began to assert their strengths in clinical fashion. Overwhelmed at the set scrums, Worthing leaked the penalties which gave Canterbury the territory they needed to complete the comeback. Good lineout ball and organised drives proved irresistible with Morris providing the finishing touches which recaptured the lead. Reynolds converted both tries and had the easiest of penalty shots with the last kick of the match.
Canterbury; A.Davies, F.Morgan, G.Jones, T.Best, A.Moss, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, P.Holland, N.Morris D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements, E.O.Donoghue, C.Macmillan, H.Furneaux, A.Orris, L.Hollidge

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton