Category: 1st XV

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

WORTHING RAIDERS 38 CANTERBURY 18

by David Haigh

An out of sorts Canterbury were made to pay heavily for poor discipline and basic errors which made for life all too easy for Raiders who cruised to a six try victory. The city side shipped four of those scores in the first half as they repeatedly gave away penalties and brought crushing pressure on themselves. By half time they were sixteen points in arrears and struggling to find a way into the game. Worthing took an early lead with a try from full back Fergus Guiry, converted by Harrison Sims, and they were always in front. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal put Canterbury on the scoreboard but they were soon on the retreat and a yellow card for Will Calder brought the inevitable punishment with a catch and drive try for Raiders hooker Elliott Luke. The one bright spot of the half for Canterbury came in the 29th minute when Cameron Murray powered over for a close range try but an attack plagued by handling mistakes and stray passes fell well below the required standards. Worthing forged further ahead with two tries before the break. A yellow card for Tyler Oliver and a penalty try was quickly followed by the bonus point score. Canterbury coughed up another penalty and Jonny Smith was driven over from the lineout. It wasn’t until the last quarter of the game that the city side came to life. By then Raiders were out of sight thanks to Luke’s second try, converted by Sims, and the best Canterbury could hope for was a losing bonus point. The late momentum brought two tries for the hard working Billy Young, sandwiched by Raiders’ last touchdown, another close quarter blast finished by Ethan Clarke. That consolation bonus point was clearly on offer as Canterbury’s backs launched the final attack of the game but the accuracy that was missing all afternoon denied them again.

Canterbury: M.Halliday, F.Morgan, W.Waddington, T.Best, G.Hilton, F.Reynolds, W.Calder, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements: A.Cooper, E.Lusher, R.Cadman, B.Cooper, R.Howard

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Canterbury 12 Blackheath 57

by David Haigh

The score line does not lie and the gulf between these two sides in this Kent derby was plain to see. Blackheath took the city club apart with display of of pace, skill and organisation which brought them eight tries and confirmed them as unbeaten leaders of National 2 East. With players of the calibre of centre Jake Hennessey and wing Alex Harris they rarely let an opportunity go to waste. Between them the pair claimed five of Blackheath’s tries, Hennessey getting a hat trick and the elusive Harris grabbing a couple and making another for Freddie Owen. The real shocks to Canterbury’s system dd not surface for half an hour despite the visitors dominating possession. A kick and chase try for Harris plus a penalty goal and conversion from Tom Ffitch had Canterbury eyeing a manageable first half. That optimism was then shattered in a devastating six minute window which saw Harris, Owen and Hennessey, with tremendous footwork, exploit the city club’s defensive frailties. Ffitch converted all three tries, it was 31-0 at the break and the match had ebbed away from the home side. At the start of the second half and with the wind now in their favour, Canterbury raised faint hopes by making the first score. A yellow card for Blackheath’s Marcus Burcham brought a penalty and a catch and drive opportunity and Alex Evans got the touchdown. That, however, was a minor blip for a side that revealed its class with another four tries. Canterbury’s best efforts were at the set pieces where the pack did a solid job but when ball was moved wide it was a different story. Clever off loading and support work, with players always available either side of the ball carriers, was in sharp contrast to a pedestrian and wilting Canterbury. Hennessey, twice, Steve Leonard and Jake Lloyd crowned all the good work and Ffitch slotted three conversions. An outplayed city club did make a defiant final statement through an 80th minute catch and drive score by Jamie Stephens which Frank Reynolds converted.

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

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

WESTCLIFF 14 CANTERBURY 34

by David Haigh

Away days are proving profitable for Canterbury when, for the second time this season, they scooped up a maximum five league points which lifted them to second place in the National 2 East table. They were always in control of a scrappy affair against a limited Westcliff outfit and six tries was a decent return from a mixed performance.
Three of those scores came in a first half in which Westcliff’s indiscipline cost them three yellow cards and their failure to convert three penalty kicks stopped them getting any sort of foothold.
Guy Hilton celebrated his birthday with the opening score, a smart finish to some good handling as the wing slipped his markers. Tom Best converted. The forwards, controlled and efficient, took the credit for the next two with Nathan Morris peeling off a driving maul and Dave Irvine crashing over from a lineout. Unnecessary penalties stifled some of Canterbury’s momentum but a seventeen point lead at the break was comfortable enough and they nailed down a bonus point three minutes into the second half. Centre Will Waddington made the break and did the support work for the fourth try and the city side were soon looking for more. Instead, Westcliff grabbed an opportunity as Jimmy Rea intercepted near his own line and made the running for Jimmy Hogarth to touch down and Brad Robbins to convert. The last fifteen minutes of the match, full of errors and little structure, were forgettable but at least there were three late tries to keep supporters interested. Westcliff gifted one to Harry Andrews as they messed up a goal line drop out before Robbins gave the home side consolation with a score converted by Harry Mount. Two minutes from the end Waddington, in excellent form, ran on to Frank Reynolds’ delayed pass to complete Canterbury’s set and Reynolds converted with the last kick of an undistinguished game.
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Canterbury: R.Howard, G.Hilton, W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan (repl T.Halliday), F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (rep W.Calder), B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D.Herriott (rel E.Lusher), D.Irvine, J.Stephens, C.Murray, A.Evans (repl H.Andrews), T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton