Category: 2nd XV

SIDCUP 2ND 12pts  CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 17pts

The Pilgrims travelled to Sidcup for their Invicta A league game with a much-changed side, yet again!. With four players not available after Thursday’s training, a few rabbits had to be pulled out of the hat! (obviously, they did not play). The game started well for the visitors; Tom Halliday made ground, got the ball to Nathan Annakie, who put Tristan Van  Dyk away, and he found Nathan in support to score the opening try.

Pilgrims continued to dominate without adding to that first try until another great run by Annekie set up position, the forwards produced good ball and Harvey Furneaux touched down. Tom Halliday converted. After the break, they went further ahead and Van Dyk’s try seemed to have taken them into the comfort zone.  But that was premature as Sidcup surged back in the last quarter and two tries and a conversion left the result on a knife’s edge.

Fine defence and the occasional slice of luck, however,  saw Pilgrims home and marked a fitting last appearance for captain Toby Rayleigh-Strutt who is going to ‘strutt’ his stuff in Sydney, Australia.

View match photos

Photographs may be subject to copyright: Christine van-Dyk

UKC 19pts CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 24pts

A new look Pilgrims survived a second-half fightback by the students and clung on to claim a tense victory. The home side started well and Canterbury saw little of the ball until debutant Tristan Van-Dyk set off from his own half and chased down a kick ahead for a great individual try. Player/coach Will Hilton converted.

It was not long before the home side built-up pressure to score under the post, to make it 7-7. It was end-to-end stuff before the Pilgrim’s backs opened up a gap for Max Halliday to score out wide. When Halliday stormed through for his second try and Hilton converted things were looking good for Pilgrims but the second half was a different story. Both sides made halftime substitutions but Pilgrims never got going. UK C chipped away at the lead and eventually leveled matters through two tries and a conversion. A yellow card for the student gave the city side their chance and Van Dyk forced his way over in the corner to open up a narrow advantage which they battled to keep. A well-deserved win from a scratch side, but anyone could have won this game. Good entertainment for the crowd. Outstanding performances from Van-Dyk and Dunkerley.

Team

1. Dan Whittaker ,2. Joe Harvey, 21. Dan Gill, 4. Rob Knott, 5. Joe Craig, 6. Harvey Furneaux, 7. Brandon Dunkerley, 8. Haydn Annakie, 9. Dan Eaglestone, 10. Will Hilton, 11. Max Halliday, 12. Tom Halliday, 13. Nathan Annakie, 14. Tristan Van-Dyk, 15. Barney Howard, 16. Joe Rumsey, 18. James Hunt, 19. Nico Englebrecht, 20.Jake Forest

SIDCUP 2ND 22 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 34

It wasn’t until the second half that Pilgrims were able to break free from a good home side and nail down the victory. It was only the fourth game of the season for Canterbury and after a close fought first 40 minutes there were only five points between the teams. Pilgrims led 10-5 thanks to tries from Joe Rumsey and Dan Eaglestone. Sidcup drew level shortly after the interval but Kieran McKenzie’s break saw him touch down and convert his own try. But the home side could not be shaken off as they grabbed a converted try and looked set for another score before Pilgrims turned the tables on them with a Jon Foster try. Further scores from Freddy Sharp and Tom Halliday sealed the win before Sidcup powered over for the final act of a competitive game.

OLD ALLEYNIANS 2nd 7pts  CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 40pts

All the points came in the first half as Pilgrims eased to their first league victory of the season. There was a hat trick for Leroy Chiapa before the atrocious weather conditions made life difficult for both sides after the break. The game started well for the visitors with Guy Hilton running through to score and brother Will converting. On 12 minutes Dave Heads broke through after good work by the backs and Will Hilton stretched the lead to 14. Pilgrims continued to dominate and there were two  Chiapa touchdowns and another Hilton conversion before the home side found a reply through a converted try.   If Alleynians hoped for a mini-revival they were to be disappointed.   An interception try by Liam Dunseath dashed their hopes and Chiapa peeled off from a  forward drive to record Pilgrims sixth. Hilton converted twice before a scoreless second half reflected the poor conditions.

ASHFORD 1st XV 12 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 7

With eleven players making their senior debut a very young Pilgrims side, which trailed by twelve points at half time, looked as though they might snatch a win in a much imptroved second half.  Tom Halliday broke through for a try which Dan Hill converted and it took some good defending by Ashford to deny them.   The home side took the lead after ten minutes with a converted try and emphasised their domination by adding added a second through a pushover.

Captain Joe Craig ralied his troops after the break and with more possession being served up by the forwards Canterbury were able to take the initiative.  Although the back division were still denied space Halliday’s breakthrough score gave them  a real chance of victory., but to take an experienced side like Ashford to the wire was still an impressive performance.