Category: Match Reports

OLD ALBANIAN 17 CANTERBURY 54

by David Haigh

Head Coach Matt Corker said he was ‘proud of a great performance’ after watching his Canterbury side demolish Old Albanians in an invigorating display of attacking rugby which was rewarded with seven tries. At a ground where the city club last won six years ago the victory also left Corker praising the team’s reaction to their disappointing show in the loss to Barnes last time out as they took an iron grip in the first half and never let it slip. They gave warning with a flying start, building the phases before fly half Frank Reynolds grabbed the first try and showed his well known accuracy with the boot with a fine conversion. Albanians took only a minute to find a score of their own as missed tackles ended with an Alex Noot touch down but the rest of the half belonged entirely to Canterbury. An impressive and dominant pack set up the platform for a free flowing back division and after Reynolds landed a penalty goal full back Kurt Heatherley gathered the restart, set off down the wing and his kick ahead was carried on expertly to the line by Garry Jones. Reynolds was again on target from wide out, then kept the scoreboard ticking with a second penalty goal. When an increasingly stretched home side lost a player to a yellow card Canterbury took full advantage through a catch and drive try from Eoin O’Donoghue. The conversion and a third Reynolds penalty goal saw them reach the break with a 30-5 lead but the one box they still had to tick was a bonus point fourth try. Two minutes into the second half they put that right as Reynolds launched his backs again. Jones was given space, scrum half Tom Williams was there to take the try scoring pass and Reynolds converted. Albanians finally found relief as they exploited a yellow card for Tyler Oliver with tries from wing Alex Ricci and hooker Charlie Fleckney and a Sam Jones conversion. But as soon as the Number eight returned Canterbury hit them again with two scores in as many minutes, Heatherley on the overlap and centre Frank Morgan from close range. The city side’s replacements, with young lock Yannick de Mowbray making his debut, made an impact and late on more quick and precise handling opened the way to a final try from Jones. With Reynolds taking a minor knock, skipper Jamie Stephens awarded himself the goal kicking role and calmly slotted the conversion to round off his team’s all round excellence.

Canterbury: K.Heatherley, G.Jones, F.Morgan, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, T.Mackenzie, T.Oliver. Replacements: A.Cooper, O.Frostick, Y.De Mowbray, C.Thomas, P.Farrance

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 13 BARNES 22

by David Haigh

Early errors were to prove costly for an off colour Canterbury who failed to score a point in the second half as they struggled to crack a strong visiting defence. Barnes pounced on mistakes in the first ten minutes to score two of their three tries and although they reached half time only six points in front their shrewd game management helped to earn the win. The omens were not promising for Canterbury when centre Frank Morgan was injured in the pre-match warm-up, forcing a hasty reshuffle of the back division. When the game did get under way Barnes stole the first lineout, won a penalty and skipper Rory Kassapian’s try put them ahead after only three minutes. A dropped ball quickly gave them another foothold and a penalty for a high tackle ended in a driving maul and a try for centre Lewis Jones, converted by Jack Martin. Canterbury had hardly been seen at this point but found a way back after fifteen minutes, building their first real pressure before spreading the attack wide where Kurt Heatherley sent Alfie Orris across in the corner. Frank Reynolds brought more cheer with a conversion from the touchline and it was his boot that promised to open second half opportunities. Before he obliged with two penalty goals, however, there was further trouble. A penalty conceded at the scrum, an area where Barnes mostly had the edge, put Canterbury under the pump again and dragging down a maul illegally on their own line cost seven points from a penalty try. That still left the city team looking slight favourites in the second half and only a great cover tackle denied Garry Jones an early try. Then a turnover seemed certain to bring a score but they blew the chance and in persistent rain, the match developed into an untidy battle of wills. Barnes claimed a good share of territory and Canterbury’s commendable defensive efforts denied them a bonus point try but, in the debit column, they scrambled for ideas in attack. Twelve minutes from the end Martin kicked a simple penalty goal for the visitors to leave the city side needing two scores to grab a win. A lack of bite and an effective strategy in the face of determined tacklers meant the job was beyond them, so they drop to sixth in the National 2 East table.

Canterbury: K.Heatherley, T.Williams, G.Jones, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, T.Mackenzie, T.Oliver. Replacements: N.Morris, D.Herriott, H.Kenny, C.Thomas, T.King

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 40 CANTERBURY 24

by David Haigh

A second half onslaught, which, yielded five tries, ended Canterbury’s challenge to the unbeaten league leaders. In the final play of the game the city side salvaged a bonus point with a Garry Jones try, so did not come way empty handed, but Juddians power and tactical nous had by then settled the issue. A solid first half saw Canterbury reach the break five points ahead, suggesting this could be another of the tightly contested affairs which have been the hallmark of this Kent derby fixture over the past two seasons. Two Juddians tries in the first ten minutes after the break changed the mood as they dominated territory, switched to an effective mauling game on the heavy pitch before setting up their attackers. Canterbury made a promising start with a try from prop Ollie Frostick after good lineout work but lost the lead after twenty minutes when Harrison Sims crashed over and Sam Evans converted. The reply came through a blind side break, initiated by scrum half Presley Farrance who was a constant threat, and finished with an Aiden Moss try converted by Frank Reynolds. So far, so good for the hefty number of traveling supporters, but the optimism was quickly dampened. The city side, frustrated by penalties that sometimes seemed questionable, were rocked by tries from the lively Connor Lloyd and Duncan Tout, both converted by Evans. Handling errors crept in as they struggled to re-establish themselves and when flanker Tom Nicoll went in for the bonus point score, this one converted by Tom White, things looked ominous for the city side. It came as a relief when space was opened for Alfie Orris to carry strongly before Eoin O’Donoghue went over the line and Reynolds successful kick cut the home lead to nine. But Juddians had more in the locker. With Canterbury pinned back once again tries from White and Tout, and conversions by Tout and Nicoll, eased them to victory before a yellow card for Lloyd opened the way for Jones to grab a point..

Canterbury: H.Young, G.Jones, F.Morgan, W.Waddington, A.Moss, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, T.Mackenzie, T.Oliver. Replacements: N.Morris, A.Cooper, A.Orris, H.Kenny, T.Williams

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 39 WESTCOMBE PARK 22

by David Haigh

A goal kicking master class by Frank Reynolds under pinned this clear cut victory for Canterbury as they took the spoils from a typically physical Kent derby. The fly half ended the day with a personal tally of 29 points, made up of six penalty goals, three conversions and threw in a try for good measure. It was not all about one man, however, as the pressure piled on ‘Combe in the second half by the impressive city side gave Reynolds the chance to really put the boot in. After reaching the break with a slender three point lead Canterbury were able to control and contain in equal measure, score a further nineteen points and restrict the visitors to a solitary late try. This was a more disciplined performance by the city men after the trials of the previous week and this time it was Combe who were often on the wrong end of the referee’s whistle. Two yellow cards cost them points in the first half although they opened the scoring with a Toby Wallace penalty goal and it might have been more but for Reynolds announcing himself with a try saving tackle on ‘Combe scrum half Mikel Davies. His first penalty goal leveled matters and Canterbury then built a healthy 17-3 lead. Tyler Oliver completed a strong close quarter drive by the pack and when ‘Combe found themselves down to thirteen players, with Kyan Braithwaite and Sam Fombo in the sin bin, Reynolds darted over between the posts. It was Canterbury’s over ambition that brought the visitors back into contention when they turned over ball and full back Wallace went 60 metres for his converted try. There was another Reynolds penalty goal but on the cusp of half time Presley Farrance’s deliberate knock on cost him a yellow card and from the penalty an efficient catch and drive ended in a Fombo try, converted by Wallace. That, for long periods, was the last seen of ‘Combe as an attacking force as Canterbury, with the breeze and slope in their favour, took control. The penalty count grew and Reynolds landed two more before Canterbury’s third try took them sixteen points clear. It was a good one, too, as they spread the ball wide to the left, gave Garry Jones space to accelerate outside the defence and his inside pass saw Frank Morgan hold off all pursuers. Two more Reynolds penalties, five minutes apart, sealed the game before Nick Cook’s try gave Combe the last word. Neither side managed a try bonus point but this win lifted Canterbury to fourth place in the National 2 East table ahead of next week’s visit to unbeaten leaders Tonbridge Juddians.

Canterbury: K.Heatherley, G.Jones, F.Morgan, W.Waddington, A.Moss, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, O.Frostick, E. O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, C.Thomas, T.Mackenzie, T.Oliver. Replacements: N.Morris, H.Kenny, D.Huntley, H.Young, T.Williams

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 36 HAVANT 31

by David Haigh

From a position of comfort Canterbury found themselves in a fight for survival before they came away with their fourth win of the National 2 East season to claim maximum points. The biggest battle, however, was with their own poor discipline as a red card for flanker Harvey Furneaux in the second half left them a man short for 30 minutes, and their problems were compounded by three earlier sin binnings. Havant, trailing by 24 points, exploited the situation with a hat trick of tries from hooker Sean Shepherd, the last coming in the 80th minute to earn his side a second bonus point. There was little sign of the upheaval to come when Canterbury, after a tight opening quarter edged by the visitors, built a 24-12 half time lead and two tries in the first eight minutes after the break pointed to a routine victory. They established that position of strength despite first half yellow cards for Dave Irvine and Garry Jones. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal got the city side on the scoreboard after only two minutes but conceding penalties cost them tries by Havant forwards Steve Jenkinson and Sam Vince and a Joel Knight conversion. Those scores sandwiched Canterbury’ s opening try when they picked off an overthrown lineout, won a penalty and Eoin O’Donoghue plunged over from the maul. Then Canterbury began to pull away as Aiden Moss finished off some precise handling in style and the impressive O’Donoghue peeled off a driving maul to register his second. The early second half strikes, as O’Donoghue sent Moss across the line on the overlap and Sam Rogers timed his pass perfectly for Max Campbell to go clear for the fifth try, seemed to have settled matters, particularly with Reynolds missing only one shot at goal. A yellow card for Henry Kenny was not welcome but in the 51st minute an isolated fracas broke out and Furneaux was singled out for punishment. Havant saw their chance and a Canterbury side still too often on the wrong side of the referee gave them plenty of scope to mount a massive offensive through their pack. Shepherd’s tries all came from powerful close quarter work and two conversions by Knight added to the pressure. Canterbury hung on, just, but left themselves with big questions to address.
Canterbury: K.Heatherley, G.Jones, F.Morgan, W. Waddington, A.Moss, F. Reynolds, T. Williams, A.Cooper, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, H.Furneaux, C.Thomas. Replacements: H.Kenny, O.Frostick, P.Farrance, M.Campbell, N.Morris

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton