Canterbury Hit By Late Blow

OUNDLE 31 CANTERBURY 24

by David Haigh

The last play of the game decided this tight, physical National 2 East contest with the Oundle pack snatching victory through a catch and drive try. It was a frustrating moment for a Canterbury side who surrendered a half time lead but fought back to draw level with seven minutes of the match remaining. As in their previous outing, a home loss to Bury St Edmunds, they established a fourteen point lead in the first half hour but, once again., were unable to make the most of the good work. Ultimately, it was the ability of the home forwards to turn entries into the 22 area into scores that proved the difference. Three of Oundle’s tries came via that catch, drive and mauling route while Canterbury, despite having similar opportunities, could only crack it once. The two excellent tries they scored in the first half belonged to the backs, with fly half Frank Reynolds playing a role in both. Wing Adrian Geddes won the race for his slide kick behind the defence for the first. Five minutes later Reynolds launched a counter attack from his own half, chipping into space before releasing Garry Jones, and with support arriving swiftly Aiden Moss finished behind the posts. Reynold converted both. A shaken Oundle now began to flex their muscles and when a penalty gave them a sniff of the line they mauled Grant Snelling over. That was quickly backed up with a break from their own territory which created a try for James Fear and two conversions from Ben Young brought them level. In the final minute of the half Reynolds stepped up to kick a penalty goal for the city side but once the action resumed the slender three point lead did not last. Oundle found space out wide for wing Tevita Va’enuku to put them ahead and in the 66th minute Snelling made his second touchdown from another effective catch and drive. A yellow card for the home side gave Canterbury their chance of a reply; this time they got their lineout and driving maul working and with Reynolds adding the goal points to Eoin O’Donoghue’s try it was all square and all to play for. But it was Oundle who applied the late pressure and Henry Frost’s score, converted by Young, left the city men with only a single bonus point to take home.

Canterbury: P.Farrance, A.Geddes, L.Talbot, A.Moss, G.Jones, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, C.Macmillan, H.Kenny, J.Stephens, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements: M.Timmerman, C.McGovern, J.Dengate, O.Hewett, O.Collins