Month: January 2024

Tough Victory For Pilgrims

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 38 DEAL & BETTESHANGER LIONS 17

By John Mitchell

A great game of rugby with local rivals Deal and Betteshanger giving unbeaten Pilgrims a real run for their money on Friday. evening It was not until late in the second half that the match was decided when fitness proved the difference. Despite an early injury to hooker Brandon Dunkerley, Pilgrims built a nineteen point lead before the Lions roared back. Within minutes Tom Halliday pounced on a loose ball and won the kick and chase to the line for an unconverted try. Next, a move was started and finished by Presley Farrance, with important assists from Adrian Geddes and Luke Webber, and Josh Richardson converted the try. The pressure didn’t let up and from a line-out quick handling by the backs saw Sonny Trew-Neville cross and it was duly converted by Richardson. From those reverses the visitors began a strong fight back. They had always looked dangerous and broke through twice before half time. Poor defending by the home side also played a part as the visitors scored converted tries, the second a pushover, which brought them to 19-14 at the break. Within minutes of the restart the impressive Will Hunt went over to earn Pilgrims their four try bonus point and Richardson duly converted. But they were then forced into defending for long periods and only a brilliant try saving tackle by Tom Mackenzie, after he had chased back 70 metres, kept the home line intact. Deal had to settle for a penalty goal when Max Campbell received a Yellow card at the subsequent ruck. It was now 26-17 but while the Lions were playing excellent open rugby they could not crack Pilgrims again. In the last quarter fitness would start to tell. It was leading try scorer Farrance who did the damage and as the pressure on Lions built he added two more to his season’s list which now stands at fifteen. Those touchdowns and a Will Hilton conversion sealed a great game with the scoreline flattering Pilgrims.

With the first team without a game next Saturday why not make the short trip to Dover where Pilgrims have another tasty league encounter. Kick-off is 2pm

Stephens’ Late Winner

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 36 WORTHING RAIDERS 33

by David Haigh

A try from skipper Jamie Stephens in the final minute gave a resilient Canterbury the maximum spoils. It was a dramatic end to a game in which neither side established proper control and lacked basic discipline which was reflected in seven yellow cards. Before the late Stephens winner eight tries had been equally shared but Raiders were in the lead for long periods. It was the dominance of the Canterbury scrum that kept them in check and played a key part in the victory. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal put the city side in front, a lead they never regained until the 68th minute. Worthing gave themselves a platform with two tries, the first a catch and drive score from Jack Lake and the second by centre Harrison Sims who enjoyed the missed tackles on his way to the line. Tom Derrick had an easy conversion. It was past the half hour mark before Canterbury broke Raiders stranglehold on territory. The back division were not in great shape but when a penalty brought a catch and drive chance the forwards obliged through a score from Alex Evans. It took Raiders just two minutes to reply as more poor defending handed Derrick a try which he converted. Before half time the city scrummagers came to the rescue, shunting Raiders over their own line where Evans pounced again. Reynolds slotted the goal but it still left Canterbury four points behind. The visitors pushed further ahead in the second half with a close range try from prop Ben Featherstone and a Derrick conversion but in the final quarter Canterbury stirred. Forward pressure brought a close range finish for Shay Kerry and there was now a renewed pace in their attacks. The most fluent effort of the day from the city backs gave wing Garry Jones the chance to break and send Frank Morgan clear for the converted try which won back the lead. Any good feeling might have evaporated five minutes before the end. With Tom Best in the sin bin – no sympathy from the officials on his 300th appearance – Worthing’s catch and drive finished by Sims could have been a clincher. But Canterbury do not give up easily, building intense pressure which produced a flurry of yellow cards for Raiders, and when Stephens planted the ball against a post in that last act they could celebrate the win, scruffy as it was.
Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Jones, F.Morgan (repl B.Law) T.Best, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams (rep B.Cooper), E.Lusher, N.Morris (repl S.Rogers), D.Herriott (repl D.Huntley), S.Kerry, J.Stephens, A.Evans (repl C.Murray), E.O’Donoghue, T.Oliver.

Looking For The Double

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTEBURY V WORTHING RAIDERS

After two tough games to start the year, fifty points on the road at Wimbledon last week was the perfect remedy. Among the eight tries we scored were some of the best of the season, with one being shortlisted for National league try of the week. A long term project has been to increase the speed that we attack with. When we get this right it has become a powerful weapon and you can see from the similes on the players faces how much they enjoy it. Wimbledon have averaged nearly four tries per game this season so, regardless of their league position, they know how to test the opposition. On review, we still need to move forward the efficiency of our defence as conceding six tries will not leave us as the winning side very often. The understanding in this area is getting better week on week but we still need to focus on the speed we are able to set our defence. The quicker we’re set, the quicker we can get off the line.
This weekend brings up a landmark for one of the club’s longest serving players. Tom Best makes his 300th appearance in the game against Worthing, something that is very rare and spans a 14 year career with the 1st XV. It is impossible to get anywhere near this many appearances without a serious and sustained level of commitment and the club continues to benefit from Tom’s competitiveness and experience. Here’s to the next 300! He will be working hard to help us complete a double over Worthing and the squad shows only one change. Shay Kerry returns to the second row in place of Jesse De Vries who, sadly, is absent because of a family bereavement.
The Pilgrims, like a lot of the country, had a week off last weekend due to a frozen pitch. They return to action against Deal and Betteshanger under Friday night lights. The Pilgrims Friday night games have been great occasions and there’s always an extra level of excitement. I have no doubt it will be another ripper and definitely one not to miss.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Pilgrims Friday Date

Posted on | by David Haigh

The unbeaten Pilgrims kick-off this weekend’s league rugby programme at the Marine Travel Ground with a Friday evening clash against East Kent rivals Deal & Betteshanger. Kick-off is 7.45pm and admission is free. Due to a frozen pitch at Dartford last Saturday Pilgrims Counties 1 Kent top of the table encounter with second placed Dartfordians was postponed and will now be played on February 10th..

Tom Best – 300

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Tom Best, the long serving first team vice-captain, will reach a special landmark when he takes the field for Saturday’s league game against Worthing. It will be Tom’s 300tth senior game for the club in a career that encompasses fifteen seasons. He made his debut as a teenager in March 2010 and since then has been one of first names on the team sheet. Joining from Deal, Tom quickly established himself as a goal kicking fly half before proving in recent seasons to be equally effective at centre. He is still bringing high quality attacking skills, uncompromising defence and the ability to read a game which are an example to his younger team mates. It has not all been plain sailing for the 34-year-old who has had his share of long term injuries which, cumulatively, robbed him of two seasons playing time.. But he reckons the lows have been outstripped by the highs. In particular, Tom cherishes a victory over Henley, which took the club to a play-off place, and a famous day at high flying Hartpury College whose side included future internationals Ross Moriarty and Billy Burns In the dying minutes he kicked a difficult penalty goal to give Canterbury victory after trailing by 28 points at half time. From a rugby playing family, Tom had the pleasure of teaming up with his younger brother Ollie in the Canterbury back division for an extended spell. For the past eight years he has worked for the Kent Fire Service and pays tribute to his fellow firefighters for helping to sustain his rugby career. “They have been brilliant in changing their work schedules to cover my shifts,” he says. “Without them I would not still be playing.” And thoughts on retirement?. No decisions yet but coaching is in the sights of a player who never shirks a challenge.

Another For The Road

Posted on | by David Haigh

WIMBLEDON 36 CANTERBURY 52

by David Haigh

Canterbury are proving to be the traveling men of National 2 East as they registered their fifth win on the road in a breathless affair which produced fourteen tries. As one of only three games in the league to survive the January freeze the action was red hot from the start and it was lowly Wimbledon, shock winners at Canterbury earlier this season, who struck the early blows and gave notice that once again they were going to be a handful. After going fourteen points behind in the first eight minutes to two converted tries by scrum half Tim Ridler the city side got a handle on things but at the end of a frantic first half, in which both sides scored four tries, they were still two points behind. It was the third quarter that proved pivotal to Canterbury’s success in an impressive spell which brought three tries and opened a decisive nineteen point lead. After those early warnings from a side that thrives on attack, Canterbury started to exploit Wimbledon’s defensive shortcomings. They opened gaps in mid-field to telling effect and tries by Eoin O’Donoghue, two from Will Waddington plus a Frank Reynolds conversion edged them into the lead. The city side were, however, guilty of giving up ball in contact and the hosts turned that possession into tries for Brad Fincham and their clever fly half Ed Morgan who added another conversion. It was a neat off-load from Reynolds to guide Jesse De Vries over between the posts for a converted try that narrowed the gap three minutes before the break When Canterbury came out for the second half they decided enough was enough. Four minutes in and wing Garry Jones, always looking for work, peeled off the side of a maul to touch down and soon got a second try. It was the best of the day as Canterbury stole a lineout in their own 22 metre area, spread the ball wide and Jones finished a move that went the length of the field. Scrum half Ben Cooper, with his second touch after coming off the bench, got the seventh try as Wimbledon were split open and with three Reynolds conversions the city side were in control. They were detained briefly with a score from home wing Tom Pozniak and late in the game, as Canterbury eased down, Wimbledon added a try by Devlin Hope from a fine driving maul. Before that score Alfie Orris sent three defenders bouncing off him as he, together with Reynolds’ sixth conversion, completed a five point Canterbury haul.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Jones, F.Morgan, T.Best, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, E.Lusher, N.Morris, D.Herriott, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, A.Evans, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements: E. O’Donoghue, D.Huntley, B.Law, B.Cooper, S.Rogers

View match photos

v Wimbledon - 20 Jan 2024

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Our Best Needed At Wimbledon

Posted on | by David Haigh

WIMBLEDON v CANTERBURY

My closing words to the players in our huddle after Saturday’s game were “Be proud but don’t be happy” and as we unpicked the game through the week these feel like a good reflection. Before the game my two challenges to the players were to throw the first (metaphorical!) punch, for us to strike first and to make our community, the amazing people that support us, proud. Without a doubt the players did both. Our first try came after just nine minutes and is arguably the best of the season so far. We followed it up with two more well executed scores. Conceding just before half time reduced our lead to two and even thought the second half contained some good rugby from us, we had too many errors in possession which stunted our attack. This combined with letting in six tries meant that we came up two points short. Very proud of the performance, but still not happy with the result.

This weekend brings a trip up to Wimbledon, and for those of you that don’t remember the home leg, we conceded five tries and lost by three. We were very disappointed with our performance that day and Wimbledon very much deserved the victory. This weekend is about us giving a much better account of ourselves and continuing to play our best rugby.

The Pilgrims battled their way to another convincing win against Heathfield and Waldron to prepare themselves for this week’s Counties 1 Kent 1st vs 2nd game away to Dartfordians. It has been a game in the calendar that I know they have been looking forward to and will be a great test to their unbeaten run.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Pilgrims Stay Top

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 45 HEATHFIELD & WALDRON 22

by John MItchell

The last time these two sides met, back in October, it was a closely fought affair and although Pilgrims pulled away in the very late stages it was no different this time. On a sticky pitch the visitors sent out an early warning as they got a maul moving and scored a pushover try, which was converted. Canterbury soon got back in the game with some excellent passing and a slick move put Brad Law away for a try. It was quickly followed by a wonderful line break as Presley Farrance carved a huge hole in the Heathfield defence and Gus Lister came on to the ball at speed. Farrance converted the try and a second from Law soon followed. Another driving maul score saw the visitors eat into the Pilgrims lead and they came even closer with a successful penalty goal. That stirred the home side into action again and by half time they had established what seemed to be a comfortable position. A wonderful team effort put Adrian Geddes, who was having a stormer at flanker, away to score and a fifth came from a typical Farrance effort. Lister converted both tries to make it 31-15 at the break. Within 30 seconds of the restart the visitors charged down a poor clearance kick from Farrance to close the gap with a converted try and it stayed like that until the closing minutes. The game became scrappy and ill disciplined with poor ball handling and brilliant defensive work by Heathfield. Canterbury were close to what would have been the try of the season, but the ball was judged to have been held up over the line but in the final three minutes they scored twice. Farrance got both tries and Will Hilton converted them to ensure that Pilgrims stay top of Counties One Kent having now played 14 won 14. This week they travel to Dartfordians who are second in the league.

Canterbury Push Leaders Hard

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 34 ESHER 36

by David Haigh

In a top quality game, full of pace and intensity, Canterbury pushed the National 2 East league leaders all the way before missing out in the late stages. They held the lead until the final quarter when a yellow card hit them hard as Esher made the next ten minutes count with two crucial tries to extend their winning run to nine. The disappointment for the city club was tempered by two richly deserved bonus points after a penalty try in the 74th minute brought them back into contention and had the visitors holding on for a nervous victory. For a Canterbury squad missing five injured regulars from their pack the pre-match signs might not have been promising but they took the game to Esher from the start. There was a confidence about them which was rewarded through quick hands and a break by Aiden Moss who sent Tom Wiliiams clear to the posts. Frank Reynolds, immaculate with his goal kicking throughout, converted. Esher, who are not top of the pile without reason and prompted by clever scrum half Pierre Thompson, soon began to probe. The back row combination of Harry Chamberlain and Cam Wilkins ended with Wilkins touching down, but Canterbury refused to be overshadowed. They continued to attack in style and it brought them two tries from centre Tom Best. Eoin O’Donoghue’s off-load and Best’s strength made the first and skillful work by Will Waddington set up the second. With Reynolds’ conversions pushing Canterbury further ahead Esher had work to do and before half time they responded with a catch and drive score from Andy Hamilton and a try for wing Ben Robbins. With Sam Morley landing two conversions they were still behind at the break and five minutes into the second half Reynolds gave the city side another three points from a penalty goal. Injuries were starting to disrupt Canterbury and their lead vanished as the visitors drew level through a try from left wing James Botterill, but a second penalty goal from the reliable Reynolds kept this intriguing contest in the balance. Then came the yellow card for Dan Huntley as the city side repelled a driving maul. Within a minute, prop Theo Skoumbourdis scored from a catch and drive and Botterill found space to squeezed in at the corner for a score which Morley converted from wide out. In the closing ten minutes Canterbury’s power at the maul won them seven points from the penalty try and the team were still throwing themselves into the attack at the close of a game that was a cracking advertisement for National League rugby.
Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Jones, W.Waddington, T.Best, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, E.Lusher, N.Morris, D.Herriott, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, J.Dengate, E.O’Donoghue, T.Oliver. Replacements: A.Evans, D.Huntley, B.Cooper, F.Morgan, A.Davies

View match photos

v Esher - 13 Jan 2024

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CAN WE TOPPLE THE LEADERS?

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTEBURY v ESHER

For us as a team to be considered as contenders in this league we must be able to perform against the top of the table. So far this season our performances against the top five have not been of the level we expect from ourselves. We ran Dorking close after giving away two early tries but in all the fixtures against the top five we don’t feel that we have shown what we think we are capable of. Its all very well thinking you can do something, but it only counts if you can show it.

Watching and reviewing Saturday was frustrating. We created many opportunities that we failed to capitalise on; the obvious difference between ourselves and Bury was their ability to execute when it counted. The players have really moved on their ability to review games and our conversations in meetings have become very honest and focused on which areas we need to improve and which areas are the strengths of our game. To take our performance to the next level we need to convert this understanding and good conversation into actions on the pitch. There isn’t a better test for us than against top of the table Esher, who visit the Marine Travel ground tomorrow. They are top of the league for a reason, and we are going to find out how we measure up against this seasons favourites for promotion. There are changes to our line-up as we recalibrate the back division while fitness problems have also influenced selection.

And the Pilgrims register another win: if I had a pound for every time I have written that this season… (I’d have 13 quid!). This one was as impressive as those that preceded it due to the number of changes to the team. Tom Mackenzie had his first outing as captain since joining the club in preseason and the players fought back from a 16-5 deficit to again score over 40 points on the road.

That leads me to remind you that we have another Saturday where both the First team and Pilgrims are at home. With two very big games on offer why would you want to be anywhere else?