Canterbury Weather Welsh Storm

CANTERBURY 31 LONDON WELSH 24

by David Haigh

Canterbury ended a three match losing sequence with this bonus point win, which lifts them to eighth place in the National 2 East table. Bur what appeared to be plain sailing, as they cruised to a 26 point lead early in the second half, ended with them repairing heavy storm damage inflicted by a rejuvenated Welsh. “We probably thought the job was done, ” said Canterbury skipper Jamie Stephens, “and we let out concentration slip.” Up to the 50th minute, the city side’s confidence was not misplaced as they dominated play, produced high quality moments and by half way had banked the bonus point. As in recent games, they made a fast start with two tries in the first fourteen minutes. A turnover and a break by flanker Jimmy Walker cleared the way for the first by Aiden Moss. Lively wing Owen Hewett scored the second, slipping through mid-field from a neat set piece ploy. Frank Reynolds converted both and although he was off target when a fierce driving maul produced a touchdown for Tyler Oliver, Canterbury went nineteen points clear. Welsh had hardly featured as an attacking force and, when they finally worked a clear overlap, wing Dylan Jones spilled the last pass. However, they made up for that error on the left flank where Ben Davies finished good work by his backs. It was a temporary reprieve as, in the last minute of the half, Moss scored his second, chasing down Reynolds’neat kick behind the defence. Ten minutes after the break it seemed that Canterbury had made the game safe as Reynolds combined with Presley Farrance and converted his half back partner’s try under the posts to open a commanding 31-5 gap. Then came the storm as Canterbury visibly faded, Welsh began to dominate possession and territory, seized on errors and scented an unlikely outcome. Two tries in eight minutes from centre Max Bodilly, converted by Matt Hodgson, changed the script and when full back Osian McAvoy scored their fourth Canterbury were hanging on. In the closing minutes they were again under huge pressure and lost Cameron Macmillan to a yellow card. However, a lineout steal by Charlie McGovern, five metres from the home line, denied Welsh the chance of a draw and the city side should be truly grateful.

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