Category: Match Preview

AWAY FORM WILL BE TESTED

Posted on | by David Haigh

MATCH PREVIEW – LONDON WESH

Our half-time team talk against Oundle was simple: we felt we were playing within ourselves and were not winning collisions, especially in defence. This meant we were playing the game Oundle wanted to play and the score reflected that.

The result speaks for itself, but the way the players changed the course of the match-by dominating collisions and imposing our game plan—was really impressive. It must be one of the best forty-minute performances I have seen from a Canterbury side. Scoring forty-four points in one half against the team sitting second in the league is a real achievement and shows just how dangerous we can be with the ball.

The challenge now is to take that performance on the road to London Welsh this weekend. London Welsh have had a challenging couple of weeks but still boast a 60% home win record. In our first meeting they finished strongly and ended the game within a score, even though we led 31–5 with just over fifty minutes played. Our home performances in the last five games are ones we are proud of, but our away form has not been equivalent. Tomorrow is a big test for the squad to prove we can play our game on any pitch.

The Pilgrims’ loss last Saturday to league leaders Sidcup was as close as the score line suggests, finishing 12–19. A great solo effort from Owain Collins gave the Pilgrims their second try, and a valuable bonus point, with the final play of the game. However, much of the second half was played in and around the Sidcup twenty-two. Sidcup’s defence was resilient and we failed to capitalise on the opportunities we created, which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides.

The Pilgrims have a rest this weekend and, with three games to go and only four points separating them from the safety of ninth place, every result will count when they return to action.

MATT CORKER, HEAD COACH

Big Weekend For Senior Sides

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

To be told by a rival coach that no other side has made as many line breaks against them should bring a sense of satisfaction. Unfortunately, after a 27–10 defeat to Bury St Edmunds, the overriding emotion was one of missed opportunity.
Our attack created numerous chances to put points on the board but our inability to finish them proved costly. Twelve entries into the Bury 22 yielded just ten points — a clear measure of how far we were from our ruthless best. The defining moment came in the second half: inches from the line, we chose the wrong option and with it the chance to close the gap to five points slipped away. Away from home, against one of the league’s strongest sides, completing in those moments is the difference between winning and losing.
Alongside our struggles in attack, we endured our most difficult day of the season at the set piece, which compounded the pressure we were under. Had either area functioned at its usual standard we would have placed ourselves firmly in contention. But when two major components falter, victory becomes a tall order.
The Pilgrims return to action on the road against Old Colfeians in Regional 2 South East. In a month’s time there will only be one game remaining in that league. Our ability to convert pressure into points during this decisive stretch will define our season. A strong squad is travelling for this 8th versus 9th encounter; it is the business end of the season and the Pilgrims understand what its going to take to come away with a result.
Meanwhile, the 1st XV conclude a challenging February with a visit from second-placed Oundle to the Marine Travel Ground for what, I am guessing, is the first time. Oundle have impressed in their debut season in National League 2 East, building their campaign on a powerful set piece and a cohesive forward pack, and remain firmly in the title race.
For us, this marks a final opportunity to record a victory over a top-three side this season. There is plenty at stake as we anticipate another compelling afternoon of National 2 rugby.

MATT CORKER, HEAD COACH

We Must Take Our Chances

Posted on | by David Haigh

MATCH PREVIEW

I was really proud of the way the players wrestled back the lead against the best team in the league, but we are all gutted that we didn’t do what was needed to take the win. At the final whistle only one penalty separated the two teams. That is an achievement against a side which has only lost three times this season. There is merit in that but none of us signed up to be plucky losers.
The disappointment comes from the chances we didn’t take and two of Old Albanians’ three tries which, on review, we feel could have been avoided. I’m not overlooking some of the strong individual performances and I obviously loved the role our lineout played in the team’s resurgence. However, if we are going to break into the top three we have to beat the teams above us — especially at home where we have been strong for most of the season.
The only other home loss we have suffered this season came against this weekend’s opposition Bury St Edmunds. We left that fixture with very similar feelings to those we had last Saturday, losing by three points and conceding tries where we were the architects of our own downfall.
We travel to Bury this weekend fully aware of what we need to do to change our results against the league’s top sides. We know we are capable of it and this weekend we have the opportunity to prove it.
The Pilgrims recorded a much-needed win against a motivated Old Reigatians side. We didn’t have everything our own way but finished 19–14 winners. The result lifts the Pilgrims into ninth place and clear of the relegation play-off position. With five games remaining, it is all hands to the pump to ensure we finish the season there in April.

MATT CORKER, HEAD COACH

Canons Match Report

Posted on | by Becca Williams

It was close but no cigar for the Canons, as a try in the last 5 minutes led them to a one point defeat against Old Williamsonians.

Old Willies took control in the first 10 mins with slick passing and running threatening the Canons try line, however their only reward from the entire into the Canons 22 was a solitary penalty.

As the Canons settled into the game, they too started to threaten the Old Wills try line, with line breaks from Will Rayner and AJ Masaka helping to gain territory. However the only reward came from Old Wills infringements, with Liam Brownes boot taking the Canons to 6-3 lead at the break.

The second half started in the same way as the first, with the Canons absorbing Old Wills pressure, with the defensive line remaining resolute. A third penalty followed from Browne, and the Canons looked to take control of the game.
The Canons soon broke the try scoring deadlock, with Fady Sheta breaking down the left to release Freddie Philpott to score under the posts. The conversion hit the post, but the lead was stretched to 8 points.

Old Wills struck back with a try in the corner, to cut the deficit but the Canons still held the advantage. However old habits die hard, as the Canons gave away silly penalties to gift Old Wills field position. A well worked strike play from a centre field scrum led to an Old Wills try with 5 minutes to play, which was well converted by the fly half.
The Canons recovered the ball from the kick off, but despite threatening could not get into a position to snatch a late win, in an exciting and evenly matched game.

TEST BY THE BEST

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

When you are up against the best in the league the opening ten minutes and the early exchanges can set the tone for the rest of the game. Last time out, against Tonbridge, within the first ten minutes we had conceded two tries from driving mauls and were under pressure. We responded well with three penalties of our own but another two scores before half time sent us in 9-22 at the break. For most of the second half, until the final ten minutes, the score sat at 16-25. In this period we needed to convert the opportunities we created to turn up the heat on Tonbridge. We did work into threatening field positions but, to their credit, the Tonbridge defence was strong all game. Errors at crucial times prevented us from getting over the line until the final play. We know we are not the finished article but, when reviewing the game, we all came away feeling that we hadn’t given our best shot. It’s not lost on me that this will always be much more difficult against teams at the top of the table and performing under the extra intensity of these encounters is one of the next steps in our development.

The week off has given the group a great opportunity to rejuvenate and we have been able to get some players back into training. Tomorrow, we face another stern test as we travel to Barnes, a place in recent seasons that has not seen us put in a performance to be proud of. We couldn’t ask for a better fixture to test ourselves against another team at the top of the league.

The Pilgrims march into the final four games of their season with a five-point lead in the Counties Kent One table. Last time out we had a hard-fought win against Beccehamians which allowed our winning run to continue. We now have back-to-back home games as Dover travel to the Marine Travel ground on Saturday. This has been a fiercely competitive fixture over the last couple of seasons. We’ve had fireworks before, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the rugby on the pitch this weekend.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

ANOTHER ROAD TRIP

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW
Havant’s record over their previous five home games was something that we were very aware of going into last Saturday. Two wins and losing narrowly in the last five minutes to first, second, and seventh in the table highlights the challenge we were up against. The response by the players to that challenge is something that I am extremely proud of. Our ruthlessness in attack led to some fantastic tries and a total that hasn’t been scored against Havant on their home ground for over a decade. One other aspect that shows the positive growth in the group was during a period of sustained pressure from Havant, just after they had scored. The defensive effort to wrestle back control and territory turned the tide back in our favour and allowed us to finish strongly. Another good Saturday.

This weekend sees us travel the familiar path to Worthing after the cancellation of the game earlier in the month. Worthing have had a difficult start to 2025, playing Tonbridge Juddians followed by Dorking. We know that our second game on the road will be another tough fixture as we look to continue our run of good performances.
Fresh from their week off the Pilgrims host Bromley at the Marine Travel Ground. This is an important fixture as first plays second in an increasingly tight title race. We have a strong team out and they are raring to go. This will be one not to miss.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

CHALLENGING ROAD TRIPS

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW
We wanted to start our year on the right note and last Saturday’s performance was just what we were aiming for. Built on one of the best defensive displays of the season so far, we came out on top in a battle of 4th in the league versus fifth. Our second half try line defence and the way the forwards dealt with the Guernsey maul ultimately made the difference on the scoreboard. As a group, we have spoken about “what’s behind your try line”, what is the personal reason that the players put their bodies on the line for the team to succeed. They showed how strongly they believe in these reasons on Saturday. Although there was some rust, we also had some great moments with the ball in hand and earned another nomination for try of the week. This time not scored by Tom Williams, but he did give the final pass!
We now roll into three weeks on the road, something that I cannot remember doing as a player or coach. I have encouraged the players to adapt their mindset to this challenge. One, if we conquer it will set us up for the business end of the season. Havant have had some good wins and some very near misses in their last five home games and we are expecting a tough fixture, much like the game at the Marine Travel ground.
The Pilgrims enjoy a weekend off following their strong win against Deal and Betteshanger. They stormed to a 40-3 lead by half time, finishing at 54-14. Bromley travel to Merton Lane next week for a game that has been on the horizon for a while. They sit in second place on the same number of losses with a game in hand. One of the Pilgrim’s two defeats this season came at the hands of Bromley and this result will play a big part in deciding who will be top of the league in April.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

THE DORKING CHALLENGE

Posted on | by David Haigh

MATCH PREVIEW

Another stormy Saturday last week but this time we came away with the result we wanted. After a slow start and some early changes, we kicked into gear a earned a bonus point before half time. Too many handling errors in the second forty restricted us and although we did score a try which showed us at our very best, we left some points on the field. Another solid defensive effort kept Oxford scoreless in the second half and this area is going to be tested tomorrow as we travel to Dorking who sit in second place with a game in hand.

Dorking away for the last two seasons has been a disappointing Saturday. Even from their first season in the league, Dorking have been competing at the top of the table. Our disappointment is less from the result and more down to our performance. On both occasions we have conceded over 40 points and only started playing our rugby when the game was out of reach. Our focus this week is to put in a performance that we are proud of. The players are looking forward to the challenge.

The Pilgrims came through their own trial, seeing of fourth place Heathfield and Waldron 26-3. The strength of this team just gets better every week and a real positive from my perspective is the number of players representing the Canons who are part of the 1st XV and Pilgrims squad. We are fortunate to have such a wealth of talent; the players come and stay with us, get better each week and create great rugby memories. This will be tested this weekend as the Pilgrims travel away to Sevenoaks who lie in second place. We know this will be an important result come the end of the season and for us to return home happy will need one of our best performances.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Getting The Job Done

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

I’ve shared a quote with the players previously, and I did again after the Henley game, from the great Bill Belichick. He was head coach of the New England Patriots during their six super bowls winning run. He says: “You get the job done or you don’t”. The first time I read this I didn’t feel that it applied to us; I felt it didn’t take into account all the other factors that can go against you in a game. I now understand that’s why it’s true. In any game you can be in control, in the lead for 79 minutes but to get the job done you have to be in that position for the full 80. To get the job done you have to take the opportunities that you create. The players away at Henley put in a great effort, they worked extremely hard in some of the worst conditions you can play in (I’m sure you’ve seen the photos) but we didn’t get the job done. There’s no shame in our performance but you could see how disappointed the lads were and that’s a not a bad thing.
We went into the week off with some clear objectives and the players have worked hard to make the two weeks of training as productive as possible. The conditions tomorrow are predicted to be a repeat of what we faced at Henley, so we have an opportunity to execute the same game plan, with the focus this week on going the distance.
Last time out, the Pilgrims had a mud fight of their own against Cranbrook. They came out well and truly on top with a 38-0 win. They have a big couple of weeks coming up starting with 4th place Heathfield and Waldron who visit the Marine Travel Ground on Saturday. This is followed by travelling to second place Sevenoaks next week and two wins will put them in a strong position.
Don’t let the weather put you off, with both the 1st XV and the Pilgrims at home for the first time since the start of the season it will be a big weekend at the club with plenty of important rugby on offer.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

HENLEY BLOCK THE WAY

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

Last Saturday our first half performance was easily one of the best in recent years. Going in at 40-7 the players had shown the extent of their ability to move the ball and execute under pressure. This was obviously pleasing from my perspective and I loved the way the team and its leaders controlled the game. At fifty minutes we extended our lead to a margin of 52-14, an impressive score line, and we have spoken in the week about what happened next. Conceding three tries, and the manner of these tries, are not part of our defensive identity. We took our collision intensity down a notch and at national league level all teams will expose this. It is some good feedback that we can’t ignore and if we use the learning will be extremely valuable. The other silver lining is that we wrestled our way back into the driving seat with a twenty two phase attack sequence that ended in us winning a penalty. This was a big moment in the game and swung the momentum back in our direction and we finished with another score. When the pressure begins to build this is exactly the type of understanding and character that the best teams have.
In the blink of an eye we are at the final game this three game block. These short bursts of matches will be the prevailing rhythm for the remainder of the season and to finish this first one off with three wins we must travel to Henley. Henley sit above us on equal points and this has always been a challenging fixture. I feel we have grown a great deal in the last two weeks and Saturday will give us a true test of this progress.
The Pilgrims came through their own test last week away at Dover. A team full of experience and ability ran out 27-43 winners scoring seven tries. This keeps them at the top of the table ahead of their game away at Cranbrook this weekend.

Matt Corker, Head Coach