Category: Match Reports

CANTERBURY 31 DORKING 36

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s habit of playing second half catch-up gave National 2 East league leaders Dorking plenty to think about but it was the visitors defensive strengths that eventually saw them maintain their unbeaten record and take home a bonus point win. Two tries in the first ten minutes after the break gave the visitors a 22 point lead and the game seemed to be in their pocket. But the city side, as they had the previous week, found a second wind and four minutes from the end Shay Kerry’s converted try had closed the gap to eight points. It was tantalisingly close but not quite enough although continuing pressure won a penalty and Canterbury took the pragmatic decision to kick it and claim a second bonus point. Dorking, with the confidence of five wins under their belt, took an early lead through a Henry Anscombe penalty goal and Fraser Mosely’s converted try before Canterbury got their act together. Two sniping tries by scrum half Ben Cooper, the first from a maul, the second after a strong carry from prop Billy Young, newly returned from the collapsed Jersey club, kept them in the hunt but Dorking were still good value for a 24-14 half way lead. Their scores were made by former Canterbury forward Will Scholes and wing Will Sanders with Anscombe topping up both tries. They built impressively on that advantage early in the second half with a catch and drive try by hooker Jonny Ellis and a seering long range run from wing Toby McCrae who outpaced every one on his way to the line. Canterbury were left with that old cliche ringing in their ears ‘a mountain to climb’ but after McCrae’s brilliant effort they quickly began the ascent. Within two minutes Aiden Moss collected a clearance kick, speared though and Alfie Orris finished off after good link work with Jamie Stephens. Reynolds converted and Canterbury kept on coming, It was now that Dorking’s defenders dug in and under intense pressure repelled all attacks. When Canterbury exhausted the unproductive catch and drive route they finally made the breach as Kerry muscled his way over the line from a tap penalty, too late however to influence the result.

Canterbury: A.Davies (repl F.Morgan), A.Moss, G.Jones, L.Hollidge (repl T.Best), A.Orris, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, P.Holland (repl B.Young), N.Morris (repl E.O’Donoghue), D.Herriott, S.Kerry, J.De Vries, J Stephens, S.Rogers, T.Oliver (repl H.Furneaux)

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

WORTHING RAIDERS 38 CANTERBURY 45

by David Haigh

Pack power won this game for a Canterbury side that came from fifteen points down to claim a bonus point victory which lifts them into the top half of the National 2 East table. The catch and drive proved to be a lethal weapon, producing four of their five tries with hooker Nathan Morris claiming a hat trick for the second time this season. Fly half Frank Reynolds was anther major contributor, his twenty points made up of four conversions and four penalty goals, adequate compensation for the charged down kick that handed Raiders an early lead through Joe Knight’s converted try. The first half set the tone, a contest between Canterbury’s powerful scrummagers and a pacy Worthing back division in which full back Tom Bowen was a constant danger. Thanks to his two tries, plus conversions and a penalty goal from Tom Derrick the home side led by four points at the end of a hotly contested half. Jamie Stephens countered the early Worthing try through the inevitable catch and drive, Reynolds slotted two penalty goals and three minutes before the break Morris touched down as the Worthing forwards splintered. In the first twenty minutes of the second half the Raiders took charge and inflicted what could have been terminal damage to Canterbury’s hopes. Reynolds landed an early penalty goal but when the home side were handed possession from avoidable errors the backs struck through converted tries from wing Peter Drummond and the elusive Bowen. Going into the final quarter the scoreboard read 23-38. The way back was pointed by centre Garry Jones, the pick of the city side’s threequarter line, who ran in from half way, after ball was turned over, and the forwards began to assert their strengths in clinical fashion. Overwhelmed at the set scrums, Worthing leaked the penalties which gave Canterbury the territory they needed to complete the comeback. Good lineout ball and organised drives proved irresistible with Morris providing the finishing touches which recaptured the lead. Reynolds converted both tries and had the easiest of penalty shots with the last kick of the match.
Canterbury; A.Davies, F.Morgan, G.Jones, T.Best, A.Moss, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, P.Holland, N.Morris D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements, E.O.Donoghue, C.Macmillan, H.Furneaux, A.Orris, L.Hollidge

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 29 WIMBLEDON 32

by David Haigh

Having come from behind to establish a winning position Canterbury saw this game slip away in the late stages as wing Tom Pozniak grabbed Wimbledon’s fifth try. It was the ultimate disappointment for a city side that struggled to find any cohesion, paid heavily for lapses in defence and had a poor day all round. For a team that totally dominated the scrummages there can be few excuses. Although they improved after a dire first half their failure to put the game to bed after overturning a ten point deficit leaves them facing many questions. The signs that all was not well came in a forgettable first forty minutes. Despite having most of the possession and territory a disjointed Canterbury found themselves a point down at the break. Nathan Morris’s catch and drive try, converted by Frank Reynolds, was cancelled by one from Wimbledon’s Marik Touilzak and an Ed Morgan penalty goal. On the resumption there was a greater focus from Canterbury and sound handling produced an early try for Cameron Murray. Reynolds converted, then added a penalty goal, and there were opportunities to build on a nine point lead. But the city side’s defensive frailties let them down badly as clever work and decisive running from the visitors produced three tries. Fly half Morgan sold a sweet dummy for the first and it was followed by two more in the space of a minute. Wing Tom Bracegirdle’s great solo run left everyone in his trail and from the restart the tackles again disappeared as Lewis Bloor finished off an unchallenged break. Two conversions meant Canterbury had all the work to do. A yellow card, one of three handed to Wimbledon, saw the city side take full advantage with a converted Pierce Holland try before a serious injury to the visitors prop Sam Gratton brought a lengthy delay. When play restarted Canterbury seemed to have redeemed themselves when Sam Rogers’ try put them two points in front but kicking away possession proved fatal as Wimbledon won good territory and worked the overlap for Pozniak. There was still time for Canterbury to salvage a win but two botched attacking lineouts later they were left with only a couple of bonus points and the feeling that this sort of form could lead to another season of struggle.

Canterbury: A.Moss, F.Morgan, G.Jones, T.Best, J.Weaver, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, W.McColl, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements: E.O’Donoghue, P.Holland, H.Furneaux, B.Cooper, L.Hollidge.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

ESHER 29 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh

After a poor start when they conceded seventeen points in the first thirteen minutes Canterbury fought their way back into this game but were never quite accurate enough to recover the lost ground. An Esher side looking for a swift return to National Division One after last season’s relegation used the ball more effectively and held up well in defence when the city side’s pack edged matters in the second half. A last ditch cover tackle in the final moments denied Canterbury not only a fourth try but a couple of bonus points and it was a little harsh on them that their battling efforts went unrewarded. After last week’s blistering early spell against Tonbridge Juddians the city side this time found themselves on the receiving end as the hosts helped themselves to three quick tries. A clean break saw Charlie Morgan grab the first after only two minutes, scrum half Pierre Thompson scored number two from a great counter attack and hooker Andy Hamilton broke off a maul to punish a team that was falling off too many tackles. It could have been worse had Sam Morley managed more than one conversion. From that bleak point the city side began their revival act and it was the pack who breathed life into the game as Tyler Oliver crossed the line from a driving maul. Frank Reynolds’ fine conversion from wide out was another booster but Esher struck again when the defence fatally stood off and wing James Botterill broke a tackle to claim the bonus point try. Canterbury needed another score in the ten minutes before half time and found it through a close range forward effort. Prop Pierce Holland powered over and with Reynolds second conversion they were only eight points adrift at the break and back in business. The second half was a far tighter affair but it was the skills of the Esher backs that saw them pull away again as Botterill ghosted into the line from his wing and Morley converted. It was the struggle to open up that kind of space that blighted the city side’s ambitions and they cracked it only once as replacement Tom Best cleverly stepped his way to the posts. Reynolds converted and the team were on the front foot in the closing stages. Wing Jack Weaver looked a certain scorer but he was forced into touch inches from the line and Canterbury went home frustrated.

Canterbury: A.Moss, F.Morgan, G.Jones, L.Hollidge, J.Weaver, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, P.Holland, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacement: E.O.Donoghue, W.McColl, T.Best, P.Farrance, H.Furneaux