Category: 1st XV

Bury St Edmunds 31 Canterbury 17

by Andy Rogers

Injury and illness may have shaped selection for this league encounter at Bury – with four players making their first start of the season – but the outcome was all too familiar. Plenty of endeavour, particularly in the second half but by then the initiative had been lost and so had the game.

As in the previous week, Canterbury shipped their first try within two minutes when Bury winger Mick Stanway waltzed his way through a gaping hole in the defence. In trying to gain a foothold in the game the city side repeatedly failed to kick effectively, inviting Bury’s talented back three to run the ball wide. A 13th-minute try from No 8 Ruaraidh Williams stretched the home side’s lead to fourteen points.
Guilty of far too many unforced errors and poor tactical kicking Canterbury did strike on 20 minutes when No 8 Tyler Oliver scored a pushover but whilst the hard work was there the precision needed was not. A further Bury try from Matt Bursey, converted by Kodie Hawkins, saw them go in at the break 21 – 5 to the good.

Twenty five minutes into the second half and Bury had put the game to bed with further tries from Ben Cooper, from a catch and drive, and full back Will Affleck’s interception and 60 metre sprint. It was an unlucky blow just as Canterbury were building some attacking momentum.

With the game now beyond them, the city side went on to grab two scores in the final ten minutes as they searched for a consolation losing bonus point. Relentless carrying from inspirational skipper Jamie Stephens led to tries for winger Guy Hilton and debutant loose head Cameron Macmillan, with Frank Reynolds adding one conversion. Alas, even that single point was to elude them.

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images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

BARNES 37  CANTERBURY 26

By David Haigh

Having donated victory to Barnes with a dreadful first half performance, Canterbury hauled themselves off the floor to win won a losing bonus point from the final play of the match. At half time they were trailing by twenty two points and when the home side ran in their fourth try six minutes after the break the city club’s prospects looked even bleaker. Then, late in the day, they became serious competitors and scored three converted tries. There was too much ground to make up to snatch a victory but the lift in momentum was welcome after Barnes had clearly been the better side.   They went ahead in the first minute when Rory Kassapian easily brushed off the tacklers on his way to the line and Simon Keller converted.  It was the first of several gifts Canterbury offered and were eagerly accepted in that first 40 minutes when the home side looked dangerous every time they had the ball. Keller scored and converted the second try after his pack had done the spadework and the fly half added two penalty goals before Canterbury made any impression.  Cameron Murray’s close range try offered a glimpse of daylight but that was snuffed out within three minutes when the gift package was opened again. A pass to no one in particular was seized on by Barnes and Josh Souter left Josh Davies a simple conversion.   The signs that Canterbury might have something to contribute emerged early second half with strong carrying from replacement Alex Evans and the consistent Murray.  That didn’t prevent Barnes full back Paddy McDuell from setting up the bonus point try  for Will Lewin when he turned  a clearance kick into an opportunity and stretched the lead to twenty seven. But now came the shift in fortunes. Despite struggling at the set scrums the city club started to find territory. Frank Morgan was  held up over the line before the backs worked space for Guy Hilton who sent Ben Cooper in for the touchdown. Frank Reynolds converted before there was another set back with a Barnes try for James Crabtree.  However,  Canterbury were now the confident team as Barnes collected two yellow cards and Eoin O’Donoghue, on his senior debut, completed a driving maul with the third try. The forwards then won the bonus point in the final minute as Nathan Morris powered over. Respect if not victory had been restored.

Canterbury; R.Howard, (repl T.Halliday), G.Hilton, W.Waddington T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris (repl E.O’Donoghue). D.Herriott (repl A.Cooper), D.Irvine, (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Andrews, C.Murray, T.Oliver.

CANTERBURY 31 ROCHFORD HUNDRED 12

by David Haigh

For Canterbury, relief as they ended a four game losing run with a bonus point victory and won praise from Head Coach Matt Corker: “I am really pleased for the players after a difficult period.” he said. ” Our composure and the way we played territory in the second half was excellent.” Two tries in the final ten minutes sealed the win after Rochford had cut a comfortable seventeen point lead to just five and once again raised doubts about Canterbury’s resilience. Too often the closing stages have been the city side’s downfall but this time they had the game and the power to pass the test with scores from Ben Cooper and Alex Evans. They knew they had work to do after a largely dominant but patchy first half was marred by errors and ended with a modest ten point lead. Frank Reynolds, who made an important contribution with a flawless display from the tee, converting all four tries, put the first points on the board with a penalty goal but it was not until the 28th minute that Canterbury could top it up. The visitors defence for once went missing and Tyler Oliver scored under the posts. Rochford, however, could be quietly pleased as they had the breeze and the slope in their favour after the break. They made an early impact in the second half but a try saving tackle by Will Calder and a great turnover from Frankie Morgan rescued Canterbury and from that point they took control of the third quarter. Rochford leaked penalties and when Reynolds kicked his side into the corner the pack did the rest with a driving maul and touch down from prop Elliot Lusher. All seemed well in the Canterbury camp until the Rochford backs, quiet for much of the day, sprung to life and produced two tries in the space of four minutes. Centre Damian Brambley scored them both, the first from a move to savour, and with a Chris Dudman conversion trouble loomed for Canterbury. It was then that a new found character and good decision making were rewarded. Reynolds and Tom Best combined neatly to send scrum half Ben Cooper in for the third try and a tiring Rochford were firmly trapped in their own territory. As the game wound down they were pressured into another penalty, the city forwards pounced with a powerful driving maul and Alex Evans completed a job well done.

Canterbury: R.Howard, W.Calder (repl M.Halliday), W.Waddington (repl T.Halliday), T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D.Herriott (repl E.Lusher), D.Irvine (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Andrews, C.Murray, T.Oliver

SEVENOAKS 26 CANTERBURY 17

by David Haigh

This latest defeat leaves Canterbury hovering unconvincingly above the relegation zone as they slipped to twelfth place in the National 2 East table. A worryingly familiar performance saw them fail to put points on the board when they had momentum and then let the game slip away in the final stages. Going into the last ten minutes there was only a point between the sides after Canterbury won a penalty try for a collapsed maul and ‘Oaks lost a player to a yellow card but it was the home side who reacted positively. In the left boot of full back Ben Adams they had a potent weapon and his second massive penalty goal pegged the city club back before the work of the Oaks pack paved the way for a decisive try by Charlie Naismith. It was a tight but deserved win over a Canterbury side who were too predictable in attack and lacked any real penetration in the back division. The pack, as ever, did an honest job with Tyler Oliver and Jamie Stephens carrying well and the line out work giving Sevenoaks plenty of problems, but it was never quite enough. They did well to survive Oaks early blast and it wasn’t until the end of the first quarter that Canterbury broke out and took the lead through a Frank Reynolds penalty goal. The home side made a quick reply with a try that had a touch of good fortune about it as their loose pass was twice hacked on and Ben Adams won a finger tip touch down. It was in the second quarter that the city side took a grip but avoidable errors and a shortage of finishing power, plus an Adams penalty goal, left them still five points adrift at the break. Adams slotted a long range penalty goal five minutes into the second half but there was little between the sides and a swift response saw Billy Young finish off an organised catch and drive and Reynolds nail a good conversion. The best try of the game was scored by ‘Oaks wing Jonny Short as he slipped into mid-field, wrong footed the defence and left Adams an easy kick. When Canterbury hit back with the driving maul which brought the penalty try and the difference was down to one point again they had every reason to think they might squeeze a result out of a gritty contest. Instead, their lack of staying power sent then home empty handed.
Canterbury: R.Howard, M.Halliday, W.Waddington, T.Best, W.Calder, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D Herriott (repl E.Lusher), R.Cadman (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Andrews (repl R.Cadman), C.Murray, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 10 DORKING 12
by David Haigh

A converted try conceded in the final minute saw Canterbury slip to a run of three defeats, a record which already starts to raise questions about their ability to survive in National 2 East. In a game dominated by defences they failed to make the most of their first half opportunities and paid heavily as Dorking prop James Catton plunged over and Henry Anscombe kicked the match winning goal. On a day when a strong wind dictated tactics the city side could only find two first half tries by wing Frank Morgan when their domination of territory and possession demanded more. A precarious ten point lead at the break was the result of some tenacious Dorking defending and Canterbury’s own lack of composure. They were beaten hands down in the tackle area, where the visitors regularly turned over ball, and there was a rushed and frantic air about their attack. There was a promising start with Morgan’s eighth minute try coming after Canterbury opened up space on the blindside and Tyler Oliver put the wing across the line. Frank Reynolds’ conversion attempt, on a tricky day for kickers, rebounded off a post. That promise, however, was lost in a cloud of small errors and a failure to capitalise on scoring positions. Morgan’s second try, in the same left wing channel, was all they had to show and Reynolds was off target with the conversion. Dorking hardly set a foot in the Canterbury’s half but once they had the wind at their backs they soon built pressure. The city club’s lively start to the second half was brief and they spent the rest of the afternoon fighting a rearguard action. They defended with as much heart and bravery as Dorking had earlier but whenever they managed to break out they spoiled it by coughing up possession. Impressive Number Eight Finn Osborne made the breach for the visitors seven minutes into the second half off the back of a scrum but Anscombe repeated Reynolds conversion attempt by hitting a post. All the effort that Canterbury put in seemed likely to be rewarded as they blunted the visitors attacks and put bodies on the line in defence. In the final minute they won a scrum and surely were poised for a hard won success. Instead they conceded a penalty, Dorking tapped it and found a way to win.

Canterbury: R.Howard, G.Hilton (repl M.Halliday), W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, W.Calder (repl B.Cooper), B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D.Herriott (repl E.Lusher), R.Cadman (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Andrews, C.Murray, T.Oliver.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton