Author: David Haigh

Canterbury Pilgrims 60 Thanet Wanderers 24

by John Mitchell

A large crowd at this Friday night game, played in excellent conditions, were treated to a fast, open contest which yielded fourteen tries. Ten of them were scored by the unbeaten Pilgrims as they extended their winning run in Counties 1 Kent to twelve games with wing Adrian Geddes claiming a hat trick. It all started when Sonny Trew-Neville went on a 60 yards run and some swift recycling saw Dan Huntley cross for his first try for his new club. Pilgrims were up, running and off loading to great effect and by the half hour mark were 22 points in front. There was a lovey solo try from scum half Presley Farrance and Geddes had been sent across the line twice. Bottom of the table Thanet, relying mostly on forward power, fought back with an unconverted try after Roland Odunwu was sin binned and although Sonny Trew-Neville split the visitors defence again to register a bonus point fourth touch down the visitors produced their own brilliant solo moment to reach the break only seventeen points in arrears. Pilgrims started the second half on the front foot and tries from Luke Webber and Max Halliday took the game away from Thanet. They did suggest a brief come back with a converted try but when a great combined move gave Geddes his hat trick it removed any lingering doubts. Canterbury’s biggest concern was a serious injury to fly half Tom McMann who slotted four conversions and set up skipper Alex Evans for the ninth try with a grubber kick and a kind bounce before he was forced off. A yellow card for Geddes and a penalty try gave Thanet a deserved bonus point before Halliday rounded off the evening with a try converted by Gus Lister. Pilgrims next game is a visit to Cranbrook on January 6th.

Pilgrims: G .Lister, H.Valldares, S.Trew-Neville, J.Richardson, A.Geddes, T.McMann, P.Farrance, A.Malik, B.Dunkerley, D.Huntley, W.Hunt, L.Webber, R.Odunwu, T.Mackenzie A.Evans. Replacements: J.Everatt, D.Gill, M.Halliday.

CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 36 BROMLEY 10

by John Mitchell

Wing Max Campbell marked his return from injury by registering a first half hat trick of tries as Pilgrims extended their unbeaten run in Counties 1 Kent to eleven games. With a total of 54 points out of a possible 55 they lead the table by nine points, ahead of Dartfordians. Pilgrims made a flying start, taking the lead within three minutes as Tom McMann’s kick took a lucky deflection off a Bromley player, Gus Lister raced on to the ball and sent Campbell away for a try converted by McMann. The visitors missed a chance to get on the scoreboard with a failed penalty kick and by half time were seventeen points in arrears. Pilgrims second try was a great team effort, with the ball moved across the whole park before Campbell’s pace did the rest. His third, with 17 minutes gone, was a fine solo effort and when Bromley built their own pressure Canterbury’s defence was up to the job. The second half bonus point try came from continued pressure before Jake Dengate forced himself over and McMann converted in difficult, windy conditions. Bromley would not lie down and were proving difficult to beat until Gus Lister broke away at pace and exchanged passes with Campbell before putting the game to bed with a fifth try which McMann converted. Dave Irvine then received a yellow card for a high tackle, Bromley were down a player through injury and the game had gone to uncontested scrums as a sticky pitch took its toll on the action. Bromley scored an unconverted try before Pilgrims launched a rolling maul and Brandon Dunkerley went over for their sixth try. The visitors ended with another unconverted touchdown in a game in which scrum half Presley Farrance won the supporters Player award for yet another controlled performance.

Pilgrims: G.Lister, M.Campbell, J.Richardson, S.Trew-Neville, A.Geddes, T.McMann, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, B.Dunkerley, J.Everatt, H.Andrews, D.Irvine, J.Dengate, H.Furneaux, A.Evans. Replacements: T.Mackenzie, D.Gill, H.Valdares

Next game v Thanet this Friday evening, kick-off 7.45pm

ASHFORD 0 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 19

by John Mitchell

On very cold, damp winter’s days like this league position and form goes out of the window and so it proved as the unbeaten Pilgrims had to grind out victory. In the process they scored three unanswered tries, were excellent in defence but missed out on a bonus point for the first time this season. They started well, with fast tempo and a try within minutes. Great all round backs play saw full back Gus Lister join the line and sprint over for the touchdown but Tom McMann failed to convert. Within minutes Gus went close again with another great run and there was continued pressure as Alex Evans and Harvey Furneaux tested the home defence. Scores, however, were elusive as Pilgrims were sucked into Ashford’s tactics, lost ball in contact and made poor decisions. The home side were not short of possession either but could do nothing to break a resolute Canterbury defence where Jake Dengate set the standard with his heavy hits. That early try was the only score of the first half but the team regrouped and came out firing after the break. From the off veteran prop Dan Gill scored a trade mark try, wrestling over from close range, and Tom McMann duly obliged with the conversion. The game continued to be riddled with mistakes and Canterbury straying from the game plan. Then with fifteen minutes to go a penalty kicked to touch, a line-out and an excellent push over try for Brandon Dunkerley – his first of the season – settled the result. McMann converted and there was still enough time left to earn that four try bonus point. But that was not going to happen against a stubborn Ashford side who took control of the set scrums. A shut out away from home is always good, but Pilgrims could have played so much better. There was little to warm us on a chilly day but the result sees Canterbury take a nine point lead at the top of Counties 1 Kent.
Pilgrims: G.Lister, J.Weaver, J.Richardson, S.Trew-Neville, A.Geddes, T.McMann, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, B.Dunkerley, D.Gill, W.Hunt, T.Mackenzie, J.Dengate, H.Furneaux, A.Evans. Replacements: H.Andrews, J.Everratt, H.Valldares
Next game this coming weekend is at home v Bromley at 2:00pm