Author: 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

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

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

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Bury St Edmunds 33 Canterbury 14

by Andy Rogers

This was another frustrating performance from the City side. If the game was only played between the respective 22 metre areas you could argue Canterbury were more than a match for their hosts. But when it came to converting pressure and territory into points there was only one side in it.
Bury, orchestrated by their influential fly half Ben Penfold and the powerful running from their threequarters, always threatened when in possession.
Buoyed by their recent good run Canterbury started brightly but it was Bury who opened the scoring when after an interception and quickly taken tap penalty flanker Mat Bursey drove over in the corner.
Things got worse when Canterbury slept at another quick penalty and Bury No8 Ruaraidh Williams completed the job.
Trailing by twelve points this only told part of the story. Canterbury were playing some attractive rugby, always competitive and clearly having the edge in the scrums, this despite the early loss to injury of tight head Will McColl. Twice Canterbury were held up over the line from attacking lineouts.
So it was no surprise when it finally took a trademark Nathan Morris catch and drive, converted by Frank Reynolds, that brought them back in the game.
Optimism was to be short lived though, because having effectively soaked up Bury pressure a loose exit kick allowed the home side to hit back with hooker Archie Bourne going in under the posts to complete the first half scoring and open up a 19-7  lead.
The second half was much of the same. Canterbury had more than their fair share of possession but errors and poor handling at critical times would be their undoing. Whilst the scrummage continued to dominate there was still hope. Here front rowers Adam Malik and Dan Huntley, both promoted from the successful Pilgrims, were to make their first team debuts from the bench.
Just when needed however the Canterbury lineout started to badly misfire. Four promising attacking opportunities were butchered either stolen or given as not straight.
Bury would go on to show how it should be done. Absorbing Canterbury pressure and with limited possession they would go on to score two further tries.
Between these, prop Elliot Lusher touched down under the posts after good work from flanker Jake Dengate.  Reynolds’ conversion narrowed the gap to twelve points before the home side rounded things off with a final try. So Canterbury left without a point but with a point to prove in how to turn pressure into scores before next weeks testing home game against league leader Esher.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 24 CANTERBURY 28

by David Haigh

This game had all the terrific stuff you would expect of a local derby as Canterbury edged to a victory which brought them a double over their Kent rivals. Only a supreme defensive effort in the final minute denied Juddians a winning score and the city side were able to celebrate a move into the top six places in National 2 East. The gap between these teams was wafer thin but two tries and a Frank Reynolds penalty goal in the last quarter gave Canterbury a crucial eight point lead that proved just enough to see them home. They started the match on the front foot and were ten points to the good as continuous pressure and admirable patience brought a try for prop Will McColl, with Reynolds adding the conversion and then a penalty goal. By half time, however, they were two points behind as they fell into bad habits, leaked penalties and Juddians made the most of it. A collapsed maul earned them a penalty try and Sam Rogers’ yellow card left the city side short handed in defence when the TJ’s backs worked an overlap for wing Luke Beaumont’s unconverted touchdown. After the break Reynolds second penalty goal pushed Canterbury briefly back in front but it lasted only three minutes as the home side’s powerful catch and drive was completed by hooker Will Colling. It was in the final twenty minutes that Canterbury established that vital spell of control. When wing Brad Law went charging for the line he was tackled just short but Reynolds was on hand to pick up and score. The momentum was there and when a catch and drive opportunity came hooker Eoin O’Donoghue made the touchdown. Reynolds converted and with five minutes on the clock the fly half landed his third penalty goal and it might have seemed enough. But that sparked a huge response from Juddians and as Canterbury wobbled, Elliot Luke powered over, Sam Evans converted and replacement scrum half Alex Davies was yellow carded. The home side went for the kill and were five metres away from glory when O’Donoghue brilliantly turned over ball and the big travelling support stopped chewing its collective fingernails.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, B.Law, G.Jones, T.Best, A.Moss, F.Reynolds, T.Williams (rel A.Davies), C.Macmillan (repl E.Lusher), E.O’Donoghue, W.McColl (repl D.Herriott), S.Kerry, J.De Vries (rep D.Irvine) J.Stephenson, S.Rogers (repl J.Dengate) T. Oliver.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton