Category: Match Reports

Sittingbourne stun, Deacons devastated.

Posted on | by Becca Williams

Deacons vs Sittingbourne 2’s Match Report

Deacons 12- 48 Sittingbourne

Sittingbourne stun, Deacons devastated.

 

The urge to get back on the pitch after a month without any rugby was clear.

With both of our community rugby sides down to play at home there was a worry we might be stretched for players although it turned out to be the opposite & we readied a full squad made up of the C4 CCCU boys, UKC cohort, Gam Esan joining us from Colts for his first senior game, regular Deacons & recent recruit Alasdair Kite – new to the team, but not the game!

 

On paper and in practise the squad was one of the strongest teams we’ve fielded in a while & we know Sittingbourne are a fiercely competitive and very well trained squad who like to turn up when we play them.

 

The first 10 minutes was an arm wrestle. With both sides making advances and defending well. Deacons trying to shut down the space quickly to avoid the Sittingbourne forwards building momentum, and in reply moving the ball wide in attack.

Once again the different Deacons line up took some time to gel having not all played together before, meanwhile Sittingbourne’s set plays and movements with the ball in hand looked straight off the training pitch.

The away side drew first blood with a converted try, a chance to gather breath and reset for us. It wasn’t bad, just a couple of things that needed tidying up & we’d be straight back in the game. That was the plan anyway…..

 

The next 25 minutes or so were really tough to swallow. When we got close to the Sittingbourne try line we couldn’t turn it into points, when we should’ve been clear and in, the referee called us back for some bizarre calls & getting past Sittingbournes defences was like pushing cooked spaghetti through a marshmallow. Lots of effort for little reward.

On the other side, the visitors were enjoying having been smiled upon by fortune, with the official not seemingly in a position to see various knock on’s, offsides and off feet infringements the run of play quickly went Bournes way with the Deacons struggling to gain and maintain any sort of possession.

We ended the first half at 0-29, more than a little shell shocked having conceded a couple of really soft tries in the run up.

 

Halftime Haribo, subs on and some spirited words from Limmer (available for motivational speaking roles from May).

It would be a monumental challenge to come back against such experienced opponents but the boys were revved up and ready to take it to the visitors as the second half began.

 

Almost instantly from kick off the City team went at it. Moving the ball around effectively and releasing Gam Esan to score (on his debut) using his phenomenal pace – we’re hoping to keep him away from the other sides in the club but I’m sure he’ll be playing further up the club before long.

Dan Head returned to the fold to kick the extras and we were off the mark after an excruciating wait.

The second half settled down with much of the match going the way of the first half. Even when Bourne had suffered a yellow we didn’t manage to capitalise. They were able to tot up some more points getting across the try line regularly.

 

With just under 10 to go, after sustained pressure Canterbury went over the white wash once more courtesy of Will Wheeler Edwards, returning to rugby and to form after some time away.

Spirits were still high & the Deacons were still playing hard. Terrell was carrying well and devastating through the middle. Millsy steadied up the second half scrum & Hayden Prett was almighty across the pitch for the full 80.

With 4 minutes left it looked as if we were going to get over again & reliably, almost habitually something changed which saw a penalty awarded against us.

Sittingbourne capitalised with their final try of the game ending a high scoring 2nd half 12-48. Not representative of the almighty efforts of the Deacons it was a really painful defeat for a side who have experienced more than their fair share this season.

Notwithstanding the 21 points gifted to them, Sittingbourne showed us how well organised and experienced they are & the importance of not missing tackles.

 

On a different note – Sittingbourne fielded a team with a father playing with 2 of his sons.

Congratulations to the Duffield men – absolute quality and we are pleased to share in your achievements. Well done boys, fantastic you could share the pitch together.

 

Hayden Prett was out POTM and he left with a Chicken Fajita pot noodle for all of his efforts.

And an honorable mention to Alasdair Kite who had an immense game having recently joined us. Can’t wait to have him back again.

 

We’re away to Deal on the 21st March, 4 games remain of the season to end it on a high.

 

We go again 💪

Pilgrims Match Report v Old Colfeians

Posted on | by Becca Williams

Old Colfeians 45
Pilgrims 7

The Pilgrims travelled to old Colfeians having beaten them at the MTG in a high scoring encounter earlier in the season, but knowing they are very good set piece oriented side not to be underestimated. The early exchanges show cased both sides intent- Colfeians looking to maul and scrummage at every opportunity and the pilgrims looking to attack through their pacey backline.
With the early exchanges suggesting it would be an even encounter, the pilgrims looked to gain the upper hand when the colf’s fullback was given a yellow card for 2 high tackles in quick succession, but it was colf’s who opened the scoring- mauling effectively from a lineout to power over from close range which was well converted from out wide. The pilgrims attacking impetus was dealt a blow shortly after when scrum half Fin Mason-Myers was forced from the field with a dislocated shoulder before Prop Dan Gill was yellow carded for a breakdown infringement when defending the try line. The scrum which had parity at that point, was then a man down which allowed Colfeians to drive over from 5m out and extend their lead to 14-0.
The pilgrims looked dangerous when moving the ball wide at pace, but a combination of poor decision making and good Colfeians defence meant their attacks came to nothing. A second 5 m scrum resulted in a second pushover try out wide to give Colfeians a 19-0 lead. The pilgrims then looked to apply sustained pressure before half time and got themselves on the score board when Hilton and Constant combined to send Owain Collins over when he cut a powerful line to score, with Hilton converting 19-7. On the stroke of half time Collins intercepted a colf’s pass with an open field ahead of him but the referee ruled the pilgrims defence were offside. Colfeians kicked to the corner and despite good pressure at the lineout, the loose ball was picked up by Colfeians who powered over from close range to make it 24-7.
The second half unfolded in a similar vein to the first with Pilgrims’ showing lots of intent to move the ball, but good defence and trying to force the final pass prevented pilgrims from adding to their score. Each side received a yellow card with Max Campbell sin binned while defending the pilgrims try line and Colfeians flyhalf given his marching orders for the same offence at the other end. Colf’s were more clinical and added another driving maul try followed up by another scrum driven over from 5m out by the big Colfeians pack. As the clock ticked down they added arguably the try of the day where they moved the ball wide to score in the corner and give them a 45-7 win. The Colfeians captain agreed the scoreline flattered the home side and didn’t reflect what was a much more even contest, but ultimately it was a day in which the city side threw a number of big punches but failed to find the target. Next week the Pilgrims return to the MTG and host joint table toppers Sidcup in what promises to be another hard hitting encounter.

Team:
A. Smith,Bull,Gill,Nicholson,Hunt,McKenzie, Devine, McCormack, Mason-Myers,English, Constant,Collins,Fielder,Campbell,Everatt, Ingram, Philpott.

Deacons winter of discontent finishes on a high. Young guns having some fun……

Posted on | by Becca Williams

Deacons vs Whitstable 2’s Away

Deacons winter of discontent finishes on a high. Young guns having some fun……

After a month without any on pitch action the Deacons ventured to Whitstable. A heavy home defeat early in the season and a really tough January playing the top 3 sides didn’t dampen our spirits.

We welcomed some new talent from UKC, prop Nigel Joseph and Jake Vovell at 10, some old talent returning from injury, Freddie Vion & Jake Beesley keeping the bench suitably warm, and Zingari talisman Leon Goode being every bit his namesake starting in the second row.

Returning from injury CCCU’s Brad Nicholson’s led another uncustomary Deacons set up, Ed Exley moving to the centres allowing Kirk Taylor another start on the wing.

Whitstable started fast but Canterbury defended well repelling the advances of the boys in blue who are well drilled and train regularly. The Deacons held their ground and tackled well organising themselves around the breakdown to great effect.
After a sustained period under pressure Whitstable struck first scoring and converting giving the home side the lead. Before long they added to their tally, a strong runner slipping out of some tackles to get across the line.

The quality of rugby was good, the Deacons were soon inside the home teams 22, testing their defence and moving the ball effectively. Just as it seemed a try was inevitable the tables turned and a penalty against the Deacons saw Whitstable kick to the corner, 10 metres out they threw their pack into a maul, driving over the line. A missed conversion saw the score at 19 – 0, the boys had worked hard but had nothing to show for it, yet.

Jake Vovell’s restarts were on the money. High and deep into Whitstable’s territory, some excellent chasing from Ed Exley, Kirk Taylor and Josh Pinnick pinning them down and not allowing a counter attack.
Not to be outdone, the forwards made some devastating runs, owning the collisions and working well on the floor.
Ronnie West had an extra weetabix for breakfast and punched powerfully through tackles. The big Skipper, Nigel & Reuben Kerr linked up to support Sam Roud at 9 and give him options at the breakdown while Leon Goode and Craig Marsh cleared out rucks relentlessly. Piers Weigh had an outstanding game, demonstrating his tackling prowess despite some dubious officiating when he was tip tackled.

Carter Jeffreys was the first to get across the line, running a lovely line picking off a couple of defenders and powering in, he’s really taken to senior rugby & is growing in confidence with every game he plays, the hard work being rewarded with his first senior try.
Jake V added the extras and half time arrived with the scoreline looking healthier at 19-7, Haribo, substitutes and some encouragement from the sideline was on hand – the momentum was shifting in our favour.

The second half begun with all to play for. The Deacons had their tales up, there was lots of positive play & the changes at half time injected more urgency, James Read & Jake Beesley with fresh legs causing chaos all over the pitch.
After some loose ball handling by Whitstable, Kirk Taylor pounced and used his footwork, power and pace to dot the ball down (also his first senior try) as we edged closer to our opponents.
Desperate to take the wind out of our sails the home side replied, scoring not once but twice, converting 1 to take them back into a commanding lead at 36 – 12.

The Deacons weren’t finished yet. Whitstable had learned not to kick the ball to Rob Horan at fullback early in the first half, and he showed them there was still life in the old dog picking up the ball using his footballing skills and scoring in the corner.
With a couple of players back on but out of position through injury & subs Freddie Vion & Steve Rutt having an impact (especially at scrum time) it was looking increasingly difficult to hold the home team at bay.

Whitstable tried to finish with a flourish only to run into James Read stripping the ball on his own try line before kicking an inspired 50/22 after a few more phases of play.
Going quickly and catching the opposition napping the forwards went to work running the ball hard towards to try line. After some great control and a number of passes the ball hit James as he flew across the line setting up an easy kick for Rob Horan to slot for the extras.

Full time whistle went at 36 -24.
Although not a win for the Deacons, it was a victory. To challenge as we did with a number of players new to the team, with little time together against a strong Whitstable set up is outstanding.

MOTM – Ed Exley

Back next week at home to Sittingbourne 2’s. Another challenge we’ll be looking to carry this week’s momentum into.

Lastly – one of our Deacons Development Pathway alumni broke a collarbone representing North Petherton in the Somerset leagues on Saturday. Speedy recovery Reilly!

Stunning Second Half Performance

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 51 OUNDLE 33

by David Haigh

A Canterbury side that looked almost down and out staged a magnificent second half revival to fight their way to this comprehensive victory. Trailing 28-7 at the break, the city side’s total domination of the next 40 minutes stunned title chasing Oundle with six tries and a lesson in discipline and game management. The visitors, who had overwhelmed National 2 East leaders Old Albanians the previous week, had every right to feel they had done another good job with four first half tries and a bonus point secured. A defensive lapse handed them an early lead through wing Rian Hamilton’s try and a Ben Young conversion. That attracted a swift reply when Frank Reynolds neat grubber kick saw Aiden Moss win the race for the touch down and Reynolds add the goal points, but Oundle took charge of the rest of the half. Their most efficient weapon, the driving maul, produced tries for Tevita Vaenuku and Anthony Maka and, in the closing minute, Hamilton registered his second, Canterbury being duly punished for overthrowing a lineout. The accurate Young topped up all three scores to put even greater distance between the sides. However, signs that Oundle’a confidence might have been misplaced were quickly flagged after the interval as Canterbury came out with a new mind set and made a statement with two tries in the first ten minutes. A quick lineout drill set up Tyler Oliver’s score, converted by Reynolds, and a yellow card for the visitors proved costly as the city side established themselves in attacking territory and scrum half Presley Farrance found the gap. Canterbury, curing many of the set piece problem that had plagued them in first half, kept up the pressure with another close quarter finish by Jamie Stephens, converted by Reynolds. Once again Oundle, shut down by an aggressive home defence, lost their discipline as Maka went to the sin bin for a high tackle and they paid the price as Canterbury went in front for the first time. Frank Morgan, fresh from the replacements bench, got the try. as the attack was spread wide. The badly shaken visitors hit back briefly through Matt Collins as they got a rare chance of a catch drive, but they had no more answers to a vibrant city side as Morgan bagged his second and Reynolds drove home the victory message with a penalty goal and a drop goal. In the final minute he added his fifth conversion when Tyler Oliver strolled over for Canterbury’s final try to crown a remarkable afternoon.

Canterbury: K. Heatherley, A.Moss, D.Tout, W.Waddington, L.Talbot, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, L.Young, J.Dengate, O.Frostick, C.McGovern, J.Stephens, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements; C.Oliver, P.Farrance, F.Morgan, J.De Vries, E.O’Donoghue

Mud, Moments and Margins at Hove Women

Posted on | by Becca Williams

By Amber Waitimas

17-10

On a muddy, rain-soaked afternoon, it was always going to be a test of composure and physicality. The heavy conditions made expansive rugby difficult, but the squad adapted well and delivered a determined, competitive performance from start to finish.

The forwards laid a strong foundation, working tirelessly in the tight exchanges and holding their own at scrum time. Emma Alleyne and Ellie Rowe combined excellently in the second row, consistently making powerful carries and helping to organise and control the defensive line. Their work rate and physical presence were key throughout. Meghan Rhodes also made a huge impression on her debut, smashing into contact with some excellent carries and showing real dominance in the scrum.

The impact from our forward replacements was also clear to see. Fresh legs brought renewed energy at important stages of the match, and they carried with purpose and defended with real intent. The challenging conditions did not faze them, and their contribution ensured we maintained momentum and intensity across the game.

Despite the slippery ball and heavy ground, there were still bright moments in attack. Lola Yuille-Clough was a constant threat throughout, somehow making running in what felt like a mud pit look easy. One of her powerful breaks resulted in a well earned try, and she later came agonisingly close to adding a second, only to be tackled into touch near the line. Emily Kent, Lily Philpott and El Crowe also made strong breaks, showing determination to create opportunities whenever space appeared.

Another highlight came from a well worked team move following a penalty on the five metre line. The squad showed great composure and accuracy in executing the phase play, creating the space for Alice Hayward to cross the line for a deserved try.

In defence, Emily Moriarty produced several outstanding try saving tackles that proved crucial in keeping the contest tight. Those moments of commitment and awareness made a significant difference.

Overall, it was a very good, closely fought game that could have gone either way. The opposition perhaps adapted slightly better to the conditions and the referee on the day, and the style of play suited their squad marginally more. Nonetheless, there is plenty to be proud of in what was a resilient, upbeat and committed team performance.

Bury Pack Power Decisive

Posted on | by David Haigh

BURY ST EDMUNDS 27 CANTERBURY 10

by David Haigh

A strong pack and a sound defence gave Bury the upper hand in this clash of two top four sides. Canterbury, starved of possession as they struggled at the set pieces, played some enterprising rugby when they did get their hands on the ball, but could never convert it into the necessary points. They were not helped by the exit of centre Harry Sloan with a shoulder injury and, later, hooker Cameron Macmillan who sustained more serious damage, but the city side were always behind on the scoreboard after missed tackles let Bury grab an early lead with a try from hooker Matt Hicks, converted by Ben Penfold. They built on that with two more before Canterbury found a response in the dying minutes of the first half. Bury’s quickly taken penalty and then a smart lineout drill brought tries for Samir Kharbouch and a second for Hicks to open a seventeen point gap. That was cut when Frank Reynolds astute cross kick saw Kurt Heatherley rise high to palm the pass for an Aiden Moss try, but Reynolds’ conversion attempt from wide out hit a post. The city side started the second half brightly but their lineout problems cost them another score as an overthrown ball paved the way for Bury prop Ben Cooper to register his side’s bonus point try. Canterbury then produced their best spell in the game. moving the ball at every opportunity and stretching the home defence. They made decisive line breaks, attacked though the wide channels and seemed likely to play their way back into contention. Two yellow cards slowed a Bury side feeling the pressure, but excellent last ditch defence proved a stumbling block as Canterbury were restricted to a solitary try, scored on the overlap by Heatherley. They went very close again but Bury survived, controlled the closing stages and added a fifth try as they ran back a clearance kick and Penfold was given the easiest of run ins. The defeat sees the city side drop to fifth place in the National2 East table.
Canterbury: K.Heatherley, F.Morgan, H.Sloan, W.Waddington, L.Talbot, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, D.Huntley, C.Macmillan, O.Frostick, .McGovern, J.Stephens, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements,: A.Moss, J.Dengate, L.Young, P.Farrance, J.De Vries.

Late Kick In The Teeth

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 24 OLD ALBANIAN 27

by David Haigh

A last minute penalty goal saw league leaders Albanians snatch the win which kept their National 2 East title hopes firmly on track. At the end of a bruising and high quality game It was disappointment for a Canterbury side who first kept afloat through outstanding defence then picked up the pace so well they went ahead in the final quarter. The free flowing visitors domination of possession and territory in the first half tested the city side to the limit but their commitment and organIsation restricted Albanians to a miserly three point advantage at the break. Sam Jones kicked them into a seventh minute lead with a penalty goal but, despite their control, it took another twenty minutes before they found a try. A lineout drive and close quarter pounding ended in fly half Andy Nurse battling over the line. Jones added the conversion but two minutes later Canterbury, who at that point had barely sniffed an attack, hit back through a brilliant individual score from flanker Ryley Thomas. His powerful midfield break ended under the posts and Frank Reynolds converted. If Albanians were frustrated, they quickly made up for it at the start of he second half. A charged down kick gave them field position and the pressure was sustained to create a converted try for centre Steve Hiheta. It may have looked ominous for the city side but the mood soon changed and the momentum began to shift. Reynolds slotted a penalty goal and, for the first time, Canterbury began to pose threats which brought them two tries and a seven point lead. A penalty and drive set up the first for Cameron Macmillan and, on 66 minutes, the forwards did the spadework before Tom Williams fired the pass which sent Harry Sloan across the line. Reynolds converted both scores, taking him past the 1000 point mark in his career with the club, but the quick thinking visitors were always in the game. They caught Canterbury sleeping with a throw to the front of a lineout, Elliot McPhun touched down and Jones’ conversion brought his side level. Canterbury hung on but Jones’ accuracy killed off their hopes with that late penalty as they head into two more testing February games against leading sides.

Canterbury: K.Heatherley, F.Morgan, H.Sloan, W.Waddington, L.Talbot, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, C.McGovern, J.Stephens, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements: J.De Vries, T.Williams, C.Macmillan, G.Lister, C.Oliver.

Deacons step things up & worry TJ’s 3’s.

Posted on | by Becca Williams

Deacons step things up & worry TJ’s 3’s.

The sun came out for the last of the 171 weekends in Jan ‘26 as we welcomed TJ’s 3’s to the MTG. Being the only team playing at home we were excited to be back home but knew our opponents would be formidable. It’s been a tricky January where we’ve played the top 3 teams in our league on consecutive weekends. Such a tough schedule brings its own challenges has & we lost a few of our key players to injuries.

Calling up our teammates from across the Zingari, wider club, uni and Colts we fielded another team filled with youth, experience & greying hair and even had some subs to call on.
To our delight the ever capable Jake Upward & Dan Head were available in the back line alongside Herbie Bowler to bolster some serious talent in the pack with Milo Kubicki, Rueben Kerr, Freddie Philpot and Aidan Demery all making appearances for everybody’s favourite Canterbury team.

Losing the toss Canterbury received the kick off playing uphill on the Orchard pitch and started with good intentions. After a number of phases TJ’s got to show us what they had in their arsenal. They tested us across the pitch in the face of some fierce defending by the City boys, tackling hard and shutting down the TJ’s runners. After a prolonged period camped on the Deacons 5m line TJ’s struck first despite the defensive heroics.
It didn’t take long before the visitors found some space on the opposite wing and darted in for a second try, this time converted.

Chasing the restart the Deacons set about making sure TJ’s didn’t have it all their own way with some great carries from the forwards & strong presses against the counter attacks. The game was tougher than a Wetherspoons steak, so much so Oli Toms destroyed his boots through his blistering pace.
Following a strong Canterbury scrum and Dylan Coyle whipping the ball around for some phase play, Milo Kubicki spotted the gap and barrelled through fending off some defenders & setting up an easy conversion for Dan Head’s ever reliable boot.
We were off the mark at 7-12 and not much of the half left.

Sadly the next 12 minutes did not go in our favour. Fatigue set in, we lost some of the communication, focus and confidence that had seen us pull ourselves back into the game. TJ’s ran in a couple of quick, easy tries.

The half time Haribo was in dire need as the whistle went and we headed to the break 7-31 down. A few personnel changes on the cards – Piers Weigh had to stand down due to injury having had a superb game, Connor Langley joined at flanker and young superstar Kirk Taylor moved to fullback.

With Dylan & Herbie trading places we were ready for the second half. Unfortunately we didn’t realise it had already started and TJ’s seized the chance to score once more. Bugger.

So off we went again, chasing another restart worried it was history repeating itself, TJ’s with the wind in their sails and still with most of the half to go.
But once again, as with most of this seasons games the Deacons clicked & worked together. Freddie Philpot was instrumental in so many attacking runs (he also played in 3 different positions by the end of the game) & he deserved to score powering over the line.
Jake Upward & Dan Head controlled the defensive line and the attacking moves and once again the big man Milo got his second with some impressive footwork.

With Dan putting away the extras we found realised the scoreboard was at 21-31 & it was game on! TJ’s were rattled & set about pressuring us to try and find a crack in our defense. With tiring bodies & an empty bench they crossed our line once more but another missed kick saw us trail by 15 points with plenty of time remaining.

With a period where both teams made as many mistakes as each other, up stepped Freddie again tearing into the try area and stopping just short of between the posts to allow a simple conversion. Remarkably now 28-36 and the Deacons were chasing a massive comeback. With a converted try in it & 6 or 7 minutes on the clock (yeah, 6/7……) we were within range.

TJ’s were shook. They came back strong using territory and a well rehearsed set piece to their advantage. A strong rolling maul which (accidentally) collapsed leading to a penalty meant TJ’s were eventually able to cross our line again to take the score to 28-41.

We thought we were still in it, and wanted more. When the final whistle went we all celebrated, 2nd in the league had beaten 2nd from bottom. But the Deacons re-discovered their form & went to the sheds full of pride.

Back on St Valentines Day away to Leigh, lovers (hope it’s not a massacre!)

MOTM x2 – Carter Jefferys for work rate & Jake Upward for intensity

Tries –
Milo Kubicki x 2
Freddie Philpot x 2
Conv – Dan Head x 4

Pilgrims came off 2nd best in a game of 2 very contrasting halves.

Posted on | by Becca Williams

Dartfordians 34

Pilgrims 26

Pilgrims came off 2nd best in a game of 2 very contrasting halves.
The pilgrims travelled to Dartfordians with a number of absentees through injury which forced a number of positional changes in the back line which included flanker Tom Mackenzie stepping in to the centres.
The new combinations took time to click and this was exploited well in the first half by Dartfordians side who were well drilled and had a clear game plan to test the blind side before looking to spread the ball wide which they did 3 times in the first half to race into a 19-0 lead.
This spurred the pilgrims into action and the strong running of the forwards drove Dartfordians back up the slope on a number of occasions only for dropped balls or infringements at the breakdown letting Dartfordians off the hook. Pilgrims task was made even harder when they lost forward Mo Pangarker to injury on the 30 minute mark. Dartfordians kicked a penalty to the corner and drove over out wide to secure a try bonus point before half time and take a 24-0 lead. The pilgrims finally injected some fluency in their attack as they spent the final 5 mins of the half putting Dartfordians under constant pressure. They drove deep into the 22 with a driving maul from a lineout which Dartfordians illegally stopped just short of the line. The resulting penalty was tapped and the pilgrims looked odds on for their first score on the stroke of half time, only to be turned over in the act of driving over the line when a score seemed certain, Dartfordians cleared and the half ended with them leading 24-0.
Pilgrims came out firing in the second half, and with the advantage of the slope it didn’t take long for them to get points on the board. Dartfordians were on the back foot as the pilgrims surged forward and Dartfordians were adjudged to be offside in midfield, knowing he had an advantage flyhalf collins clipped a cross field kick from left to right which the pilgrims dotted down to score, 24-5.
The second soon followed when Gus Lister spotted an opportunity out wide and his exceptional long pass sent wing man Harvey Ingram on a powerful 70 meter run, he was eventually stopped just short of the Dartfordians line but scrum half Hector Valladares was on hand to pick up and dive over. 24-12.
Sensing the momentum shifting against them, Dartfordians became niggly, but it was the pilgrims who found themselves on the receiving end of the referees decisions as not 1 but 2 yellow cards were brandished within a minute- first industrious debutant flanker Mark Stone was yellow carded for handling a loose ball while offside before captain will Hunt was given a 2nd for what the referee described as an accumulation of offences. Being 2 men down with 20 mins to play disrupted the city sides flow and allowed Dartfordians back into the game. They quickly exploited the 2 man advantage to score their fifth try out wide to take the score to 29-12.
Still playing front foot rugby, the pilgrims were quickly back on the attack and good offloading led to a fine line break by flanker Max McCormack who beat a number of defenders to score, well converted by Lister 29-19. Dartfordians then got the decisive score against the run of play, pouncing on a loose ball and using their numerical advantage to move the ball wide and score their 6th try. 34-19.
Back up to full strength with less than 10 mins to play, the pilgrims were back on the front foot and pushing for a bonus point try of their own. Dartfordians were defending with great determination and thwarted a number of promising pilgrims attacks before wing man Mitch Fielder eventually dived over with the clock ticking down to bring the final score 34-26. Dartfordians held on for a deserved victory after their first half performance, the pilgrims will be looking to bounce back at home on 14th February when they take on old reigatians.

Errors Undo Winning Run

Posted on | by David Haigh

HAVANT 28 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s winning run came to a disappointing end at the hands of a confident Havant who have discovered their best form in recent weeks. Here, their job was made easier by a city side whose basic faults of missed tackles, poor ball retention and questionable decision making added up to one of their weakest performances. It bore no resemblance to the impressive show of the previous week, but at least they managed to come away with a losing bonus point. It was tackle failures that gave Havant the territory to build a fourteen point lead in the opening quarter of an hour; first through a catch and drive try from Sean Shepherd, then a decisive finish by wing Will Perry, both converted by Joel Knight. After those shocks, Canterbury built one or two promising attacks but ruined their chances by giving away penalties and had to work hard to keep their own line intact, in particular a brave last ditch tackle on wing Sam Trodd. Despite the pressure, the city side somehow reached the break only one score behind. In the final minute of the half the forwards established a platform, kept their discipline and scrum half Presley Farrance wriggled over and Frank Reynolds converted. It seemed Canterbury may have opened a new chapter at the start of the second half as they drew level for the first time. Hooker Eoin O’Donoghue had come off the replacements bench and immediately justified the move with a first minute, close quarter try which Reynolds converted. That brought fresh hope but It did not last long as the earlier failings surfaced again. Havant, always looking the more assured, turned over ball, set Perry free and he slipped the scoring pass to Ben Grffin. Knight converted but going into the final quarter Canterbury found some of that elusive cohesion and centre Will Waddington’s fine burst took him under the the posts, leaving Reynolds an easy goal target,. However, that was as good as it got with Havant controlling the late stages, holding possession efficiently and producing the winning try. They again asked questions of the city’s defending, made space on the right flank and Dylan Evans’ converted touchdown won the bonus point and the game.
Canterbury; K.Heatherley, A.Moss, H.Sloan, W.Waddington, L.Talbot, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, J.Dengate, O.Frostick, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, C.McGovern, R.Thomas, J.Walker. Replacements: O.Hewett, E.O’Donoghue, T.Oliver, T.Williams, C.Macmillan