Category: 1st XV

CANTERBURY 33 SEVENOAKS 30

by David Haigh


 From the comfort of a fifteen point second half lead Canterbury ended up clinging on for this important National 2 East victory. With both sides hovering on the fringes of the relegation battle there was plenty at stake and Sevenoaks’ domination of the final 20 minutes marked them out as likely winners.   Instead, they were restricted to a second bonus point, earned with a try in the last minute, thanks to Canterbury’s massive defensive effort and astute changes from the bench at a time when the city club were hit with two yellow cards and a sending off.  As the Duke of Wellington said after that long ago skirmish at Waterloo, “it was the nearest run thing you ever saw.”   Surviving the late siege was not the only challenge Canterbury had to overcome as the sharp and focused visitors made a flying start and were twelve points ahead after only eight minutes. Tries from Henry Galligan and Jonny Short, plus a Ben Adams conversion, were  helped by suspect tackling. When  Canterbury came alive, however, they were just as effective in finding holes and won a four try bonus point by half time. A midfield break by scrum half Ben Cooper made the first incision before Lewis Hollidge’s opening try. Continuing pressure saw Oaks leaking penalties and when Frank Reynolds spotted space on the right his cross kick bounced into Cameron Murray’s path.  Oaks pulled back three points with an Adams penalty goal but they could not stop a driving maul which ended in Eoin O’Donoghue touching down.  Jamie Stephens rounded off close quarter work from a clever pop pass to register the fourth and with three conversions from Reynolds, who passed the 100 point mark for the season, the earlier damage was repaired.  When Cooper ran in the opening try of the second half, after good attacking work in mid-field, and Reynolds topped it up the city side looked firmly in the driving seat.  But the lively visitors soon reminded them that if you don’t fasten the safety belt you are unwise and they took control of possession and territory. Adams kicked his second penalty goal then converted Short’s second try on 60 minutes and Canterbury now had a dog fight on their hands. Losing Danny Herriott and Stephens to the sin bin and Tom Best to a red card, put their discipline under scrutiny but their defiance and commitment left Sevenoaks no more time after Galligan’s last ditch score.

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

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 29  CANTERBURY 31

by David Haigh

Canterbury snatched victory with a try in the final minute of this terrific Kent derby. It was a pulsating end to a game that swung first the city club’s way and then, in a  fiercely contested second half, to a
resurgent Juddians. After overhauling Canterbury’s  fourteen point half time lead the home side thought they had won it through Tom White’s 79th minute penalty goal.  But one minute can be a long time in rugby and a committed Canterbury hurled themselves back into attack, kept the ball alive skillfully and fly half Frank Reynolds squeezed over by the corner flag.  To add to the tension there was a consultation between the referee and his assistant before the score was justly awarded.   After the capitulation at Dorking the previous week there was a new steel about Canterbury’s approach and the return of long term absentees like Tristan King, Sam Sterling and, from the replacements bench bench, Charlie Kingsman, gave Matt Corker’s squad a more balanced look. They fell behind to an early try from TJs centre Duncan Tout but hit back with three of their own and gave nothing away in defence before the
break. A dominant lineout and clever turnovers served them well. Cameron Murray finished off a precise handling move for the first score, hooker Nathan Morris completed a catch and drive and, in the last minute of the half, skipper Jamie Stephens crashed through despite Canterbury losing Sterling to the sin bin. The first 20 minutes of the second half put the city side through their sternest test.  They defended brilliantly but lost Jesse Dr Vries to a yellow card and by the hour mark it was all square as the TJs backs produced tries for Bryan Hotston and Howard Packman, both converted by White. Having come through the fire Canterbury’s composure paid off as they worked a fourth, bonus point touch down for front row man Eoin O’Donoghue and Reynolds made his third successful conversion.  That seven point advantage was quickly wiped by the home side as Josh Van Buuren powered over the line and White brought the sides level again. When the experienced fly half nervelessly landed that late penalty goal it seemed like job done but Canterbury still had  last clear message; never write us off.

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

DORKING 50 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh

Giving a side 21 points start in the first twelve minutes is to invite trouble and Canterbury duly paid a heavy penalty. A hesitant defence had plenty to answer for as  Dorking plundered three tries in a blistering opening spell and went on to dominate the match.  Wing Toby McCrae scored five of their eight tries but it  was the work of the home pack and their powerful back row that opened up opportunities that the city side could not match. Canterbury’s best moments came from the  back
division, with fly half Frank Reynolds launching dangerous attacks, andthey found a response to Dorking’s early burst in which MacCrae, twice, and Fred Dalton made touchdowns, all converted by Henry Anscombe.  Tom Best’s 17th minute try, converted by Reynolds, was a good as as any but
hopes of a recovery were dashed when former Canterbury man Will Scholes made an interception to set up a score for Cam Cowell.  When McCrae, running at full tilt, plucked a cross kick out of the air and steamed away to complete hit hat trick the gap was widening ominously.  A catch and drive try for hooker Nathan Morris before half time, converted by Reynolds, raised Canterbury spirits, and with the considerable Dorking slope in their favour after the break, and the memory of their second half exploits the week before, there were grounds for optimism. Those quickly evaporated  when the city club were turned over at a scrum on the Dorking line and a try they might have had was instead scored by McCrae the other end via a swift counter attack. The  best hope now was to find a losing bonus point and Canterbury managed a third converted score through Frank Morgan.  However, in hunting for that face saving fourth touchdown their execution deserted them and the home side finished as they had started, well in the ascendancy and marking it with late scores from McCrae and Fraser Mosley.

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

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Copyright – Phillipa Hilton

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