Match Report. 28.03.26
Canterbury 5th v Thanet 3rds
Canterbury5th 17pts. Thanet 3rd 17pts.
Canterbury returned to the field after a long-enforced absence due to a series of cancelled fixtures that showed in the opening quarter against their old adversaries Thanet Wanderers. This looked obvious from the start with Thanet dominating most of the territory only some resolute tackling stopped them from being overrun. The Zingari held out until they succumbed in the twentieth minute after a period of sustained pressure, Thanet worked the ball wide touching down in the corner for an unconverted try. The city side could have broken after a further period of Thanet pressure but they maintained their structure, and after a break into the Thanet half the forwards released the ball to the backs for Elliot Nye breaking the defensive line to go over near the posts, and with Rob Horan’s conversion to follow to snatch a slender two point lead taking them into halftime.
The second half saw both sides battle for territory with the Zingari forwards beginning to look their old selves until a poor clearance kick gave the Wanderers a free run at the line to squeeze in at the corner taking back the lead. This seemed to have an effect on Canterbury who doubled their efforts launching a series of attacks that they somehow managed to squander that would have put them out of sight. Instead, their only reward was a penalty converted by Horan levelling the scores. With the game now going into the last minutes the city side were delt another blow after another poor clearance kick was punished ending in a try near the posts, and this time with a successful conversion. With the game now entering stoppage time the Zingari forwards managed to regain possession launching their backs in one last effort finding that man Elliot Nye who finished it off, and with Rob Horan’s conversion brought the game to a final exciting, and honourable conclusion
