Category: 1st XV

CANTERBURY 43 WORTHING RAIDERS 33

by David Haigh

This was easily Canterbury’s best performance of the season as they mounted a superb second half fight back to destroy the promotion hunting Raiders.  Trailing by seventeen points as the game entered its last quarter they recaptured the lead with a try three minutes from the end.  Not content with that the city club crowned their afternoon’s work in the final play with a seventh try.   After watching his side produce pace, power, and attacking flair Head Coach Matt Corker said: “It was a great performance by the whole team and I was really happy to see the players show what I’ve known they are capable of for a long time. Worthing being right at the top of the table shows that we can play well and win against anyone. Our focus now until the end of the season has to be that we keep pushing our standards and our level of performance will follow.”  The shell shocked visitors might have thought the points were theirs after building a 33-14 lead shortly after half time against a Canterbury outfit hit by yellow cards and  temporarily reduced to thirteen players.  Raiders had reached the break four points ahead after a high tempo first half in which the lead changed hands five times and Canterbury lost both Guy Hilton and Tom best to injuries.  Fraser Bruce, Curtis Barnes and Dan Sargent scored Worthing’s tries, with Matt McLean adding two conversions.  Canterbury  replied through a close range finish from Cameron McMillan and when replacement Sam Sterling appeared for his first game of the season he quickly made an impact with a fine burst for the second try and went on to make a significant contribution. The only blemish was a swinging arm which cost him a yellow card and led to Sargent’s try a minute before the break.  On the resumption, Raiders were quickly out of the blocks and when Tyler Oliver joined Sterling in the sin bin they worked an overlap for Barnes to touchdown and Sargent followed that by bagging his second forward driven try.  Two more conversions from McLean left the city club with a massive challenge but they tackled it with relish. Restored to full strength the first breach was made in the 58th minute when Billy Young burrowed over and       Canterbury went into all out attacking mode, running from deep and punching holes in the visitors’ armour.  An Oliver try and Frank Reynolds’ third conversion cut the deficit to seven and when prop Elliot Lusher made an eye catching break it was the prelude to slick handling and a Reynolds try.  Raiders were now reeling under the onslaught and Canterbury’s adventure paid off handsomely when space was created for wing Frank Morgan’s 77th minute try which took his side back in front and recovered all the lost ground. As a final treat for the fervent crowd at the Simon Langton all weather facility, Oliver strolled over in the last minute to leave Reynolds an easy and satisfying shot at goal.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton (repl S.Sterling), L.Hollidge, T.Best (repl T.Williams), F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, E.O’Donoghue (repl N.Morris), C.Macmillan (repl E.Lusher), D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, C.Murray, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Philippa Hilton

BLACKHEATH 40  CANTERBURY 12

By David Haigh

The league leaders took control of this game from the first minute and although Canterbury put in a  determined second half effort they were outclassed.   The pattern was set from the kick-off. Canterbury dropped it, Blackheath had field position and their backs sent full back Alex Brown over for the first of their six tries.  Playing down the wind they were 28 points ahead in as many minutes with a bonus point secured and a convincing win looming.   For Canterbury, it was a daunting prospect but it was some familiar failings in attack that hobbled them.  They won a decent share of territory, put pressure on the Blackheath line, and made two clean breaks which should have produced tries. A strong home defence and that lack of a clinical finish denied them.  At the other end it was a different story with Blackheath’s forceful carrying and a back division assured in its handling and running lines bringing further tries for  Steve Leonard, Tom Ffitch and Archie Holland. Ffitch’s immaculate goal kicking put the boot into Canterbury even further.  With the wind behind them the city side recovered their poise in the third quarter and were rewarded with close range tries from Jamie Stephens and Billy Young with Frank Reynolds adding a conversion.    But with Blackheath increasingly in charge of the set scrums, where Canterbury missed the experience of Danny Herriott, who retired with a leg injury leg In the first half, they were able to manage the game comfortably.  Holland burrowed over for his second try, converted by Ffitch, after Canterbury gave away one too many penalties and six minutes from the end scrum half Chris Bell darted through a gap for a smart individual touch down.  Before this game Head Coach Matt Corker said it would be a test of how far his squad had come since the early days of the season. On this evidence, against a very good team, they still have plenty of ground to make up.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton, R.Gladdish, T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, C.Macmillan, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate, C.Murray, J.Stephens. Replacements: T.Williams, H.Furneaux, N.Morris, V.Meredith, E.O’Donoghue

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 52 WESTCLIFF 14

by David Haigh

The resolution of the Canterbury pack got the New Year away to the best of starts as they laid the foundations of this decisive victory. Full back Will Waddington was the individual star of the show, grabbing three of his side’s eight tries, but it was forward power that made life hard for struggling Westcliff who were rarely allowed to get on the front foot. The city club’s mastery of the testing conditions was another crucial factor and with wind and rain behind them they reached half time 26 points clear and a bonus point in their pocket. The question was whether they could sustain that performance with the elements against them and it was answered emphatically. After conceding an early second half try they erased all doubts and ran away with the game in the final fifteen minutes. The Canterbury forwards made an early statement with tries from Number Right Tyler Oliver and lock Dave Irvine in the opening seven minutes. Frank Reynolds, who went on to land six conversions, added the goal points to both scores. Forceful carrying and close range drives set up prop Billy Young for the third try but it seemed Canterbury might have to settle for that as Westcliff, with the centre partnership of Reece Whiting and Jack Hogarth often prominent, found some momentum. A heavy penalty count and a yellow card for Young put the city side under pressure which they not only survived but produced a bonus point score. A slick off-load, clever footwork from Waddington, and a Reynolds conversion, built a substantial cushion. Westcliff fly half Greg Bannister unpicked some of the threads with a neat interception, a good finish, and an excellent conversion three minutes into the second half but the city side’s response was swift and determined; Reynolds made a scything break to set up Tom Best for the fifth try. There was only one minor hitch to Canterbury’s smooth progress when Westcliff seized on a loose ball and hooker Teddy Edwards won a touchdown which Bannister again converted. The visitors, however, battered at the scrums and leaking penalties, wilted under the late onslaught and could do nothing as the city club backs cut loose. Space was made for Waddington to twice sprint clear and seconds before the final whistle scrum half Tom Williams completed a victory which sees Canterbury move up a place in the National 2 East table.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton, L. Hollidge, T.Best, F. Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements: R.Gladdish, J.Stephens, E.Lusher, T.Williams, C.Macmillan.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s dismal run goes on and they are now without a win since early October. The damage in this game, one of only two in National 2 East to survive the freezing weather, was largely self inflicted as they failed to convert massive second half pressure into points. They had every opportunity to make up for slack first half defending but could manage only a solitary penalty goal. That earned them a losing bonus point but it was a poor return for a side which lacked finishing power and remains anchored near the foot of the league table. After making a promising start to the match with a try from centre Tom Halliday after only two minutes they could find no way past the Hawks who put in an impressive defensive shift to protect their 19-11 half time lead. Henley made a quick response to the early Canterbury score, opening a hole for Number Eight Sam Lunnon who left Max Titchener an easy conversion. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal recaptured the lead but defensive weakness handed the visitors two more tries before the break. Wing Ryan Crowley brushed side weak tackles to claim the first, again converted by Titchener, and was instrumental in pushing the Hawks further ahead as he poached a ball on his own line. When his deep and determined run was halted the support was there to set up Lunnon’s second touchdown. Lineout troubles, where the city side missed the presence of injured skipper Jamie Stephens, frustrated the city side’s scoring opportunities which were limited to Reynolds’ second penalty goal, and before they took a grip on the second half they had a reprieve when Henley dropped the ball with the line wide open. From that point, however, it was Canterbury’s game to win as they dominated the scrums and occupied Hawks territory, All credit to the visiting defenders who stopped anything that moved but Canterbury were convinced they had scored from an attacking lineout. The officials, after consultation, ruled otherwise and the city side could not find another crack in the solid Henley wall.

Canterbury; W.Waddington, F.Morgan, T.Hallliday, T.Best, G.Hilton, F.Reynolds, T.Williams (repl B.Cooper), B.Young (repl C.Macmillan), N.Morris (repl E.O’Donoghue), D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate (repl H.Furneaux), C.Murray, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton