Category: Match Reports

Canterbury Pay For Early Damage

Posted on | by David Haigh

Barnes 39 Canterbury 22

by Andy Rogers

With four enforced changes in the back division from last week’s narrow defeat against league leaders Dorking this was always going to be a difficult encounter against a confident second placed Barnes. However it wasn’t cohesion that was lacking in a disappointing first half display as Canterbury failed to exert sufficient pressure from their large and experienced pack, not helped by early injuries to second row Shay Kerry and hooker Nathan Morris, both having to leave the field within the first 20 minutes. Instead Barnes stole the early initiative and Canterbury had no answers to their offloading master class. Three tries in the first 20 minutes, including a brace from elusive winger Paul Webb, had Canterbury on the ropes and with Kerry and Morris now off the pitch Barnes secured their bonus point score before half time. It came via a 20 metre driving maul before dancing fullback Cameron Roberts was released to squeeze over in the corner. Trailing by 24 to nil at half time a response was required and to a point Canterbury delivered. Frank Reynolds kicked a simple penalty early on before Barnes stretched their lead with a catch and drive try from flanker Ethan Harbinson. With the game seemingly beyond them Canterbury were now taking the initiative and two tries followed. First a fine finish from winger Jack Weaver; then centre Lewis Hollidge rounded off perhaps Canterbury’s best attacking move after a lovely line break from Eoin O’Donoghue. Barnes kicked another penalty but Canterbury were at last building some pressure and with the hosts repeatedly infringing it cost them three yellow cards. Centre Frank Morgan capitalised from a subsequent penalty with a try from a line out catch and drive, converted by Reynolds, and with 15 minutes still to go Canterbury could suddenly sniff a losing bonus point. Barnes were to score again to take the score to 39 to 22 but with the clock ticking down the city side were on the front foot again but missed their chance of a fourth try. It went wrong as they opted for a quickly taken tap penalty when a kick to the corner and an attacking lineout might have been more productive, so they left with nothing
Canterbury: T.Best, T.Halliday, F.Morgan, L.Hollidge, J.Weaver, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, S.Kerry, D.Irvine, S.Rogers, C.Murray, J.Stephens. Replacements: E.O’Donoghue, C.Macmillan, T.Williams, J.Dengate, P.Farrance

Pilgrims match report

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

HEATHFIELD & WALDRON 18 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 34

by John Mitchell

The unbeaten Pilgrims stayed ahead of the Counties 1 Kent pack with this bonus point victory on their first ever visit to Heathfield and Waldron. The game started badly for the visitors. Two knock-ons, holding on, poor scrummaging and a line out throw that was not straight. Result, penalty 3-0 down and they were soon ten points behind after further mistakes in the 5 metre area gave the home side a converted try. So different to last weeks superb performance. Then from a scrum, half backs Tom Williams and Tom McMann made space for Adrian Geddes to score out wide out and McMann converted. They next took full advantage of a yellow card for H&W with Luke Webber driving over from a lineout maul and McMann again adding the extras. Just before the half hour mark Jack Weaver made inroads, linked with McMann and he sent Geddes over for his second try, but the conversion attempt hit the post Now it was the visitors turn to get a yellow, this time Webber paid the price and took a team card for high tackles. A Heathfield and Waldron cross kick seemed bound for touch but Pilgrims kept the ball in play and an unfavourable bounce handed the Sussex side an unconverted try. But their kicker made no mistake from a penalty award and at half time the Pilgrims lead at 19-18 was down to one point. The second half, however, belonged to the Pilgrims. Good pressure and excellent handling saw the ball moved quickly to Tom Williams, now out on the wing, for him to drive over for an unconverted try. The Canterbury forwards were now dominating, with Cameron Macmillan and Jake Dengate leading the way, and the backs were beginning to gel as they sent Sonny Trew-Neville over for another unconverted touchdown to extend the lead to eleven points. The visitors continued to press and Presley Farrance, coming on at Number 9 for the second half, gave the pass for Luke Webber to score the final try and seal the win. Pilgrims top the league with 20 points, four clear of the second and third placed teams, one of whom, Dartfordians, come to The Marine Travel Ground this weekend.

Zingari triumph in a physical contest

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Canterbury 37 – 17 Ashford Barbarians

This was a physical contest from the outset with both sets of forwards trying to dominate, while the Barbarians held the upper hand at the set piece the Zingari had the advantage in the loose. This led to Canterbury’s first try with Toby Allen picking off a ball on the outside with a straight dash to the line. Next up was Brad Allchurch showing what he could do from close range with a tackle breaking charge to go over out wide. Ashford reply was swift, their forwards building pressure before they found a gap in the city defence to claim back a try with a charge from short range. With twenty minutes on the clock Canterbury now entered a purple patch, keeping the ball alive running everything, even from deep in their own half began to pay dividends, First Joe Rumsey out stripping the defence ran the ball behind the posts for the city’s only conversion courtesy of Brad Allchurch. This was followed by Will Rayner jinking his way round his would-be tacklers to touch down, and on the stroke of half time Jerome Weigh was on hand to burrow his way over to give the Zingari a well-earned half time cushion.

The second half saw the Barbarians trying to keep the ball tight that paid dividends with an early try, only to be thwarted when the city pounced on a loose ball and set off down field to be finished off with Connor Langley making a scything run over the line. Ashford Barbarians kept to their game plan bringing them success after concerted forward pressure on the city line rewarded them with a converted try. The city now had to endure more of the same, and set themselves into defensive mode with some heroic tackling and scramble defence that proved enough to hold their line. As the game went into the closing minutes, and deep in defence the Zingari manage to secure a loose ball sending it wide to Toby Allen, who then turned the defender before cutting back inside to win the sprint to the lime cementing the Zingari win.

Tries

Toby Allen 2
Jerome Weigh 1
Joe Rumsey 1
Will Rayner 1
Brad Allchurch 1
Connor Langley 1

Conversions

Brad Allchurch 1

Fight Back Falls Short

Posted on | by David Haigh

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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v Dorking - 7 Oct 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Zingari take maximum points

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Deal & Betteshanger Lions 2nd XV 24 – 46 Zingari

Again, the Zingari take maximum points with a display of open running rugby against a sometimes-rampant Lions pack. The city side opened their account with an early try from Thomas, followed minutes later by George Ayres touching down before convert his own try. This early onslaught by Canterbury prompted the Lions pack into action, with some devastating drives into the city defence that yielded a well taken converted try before the Zingari managed to stem the flow. First with Thomas and then Brad Allchurch crashing over the line, and with George Ayres conversions the city side looked to be building a comfortable lead. However, the Lions had other ideas, their forwards pressured Canterbury into conceding three points with a penalty before snatching a try and conversion just before halftime.

The second half started as the first finished with Deal & Betts forwards breaking the city line with a try & conversion putting them within striking distance of the city. Canterbury pack aware of the situation sensibly played to their strengths, while the Lions well drilled pack dominated the set piece the city exceled in the open broken play keeping the ball alive. First to take advantage of this style of play was Toby Allen and George Ayres both touching down out wide. Deal & Betts Lions now stretched across the field found it more difficult to combat these tactics, and in the last few minutes Canterbury sealed it up with a move started on halfway spreading the ball down the line for Allen to squeeze in the corner to tie up the match.

Tries
Thomas 2
George Ayres 2
Toby Allen 3
Brad Allchurch

Conversions
George Ayres 3

PILGRIMS GO TOP

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 76 CRANBROOK 0

by John Mitchell

This runaway success, which produced twelve unanswered tries, took Pilgrims to the top of the Counties 1 Kent table as they made it three wins from three A good start saw full back Jack Weaver live up to his name as he shredded the defence for the first of his four tries, converted by Tom McMann, and the Weaver/McMann combination repeated the dose minutes later. Cranbrook exerted pressure and one thought they might get back into the game, but Brandon Dunkerley crashed through, Alex Evans picked up to score and that was quickly followed by Weaver’s hat trick touchdown. Tom Halliday was next on the list after fine work by the backs, with McMann converting, and before half time Cranbrook had cracked again. McMann lost his 100 per cent goal kicking record when Adrian Geddes scored wide out but at the break Pilgrims were 40 points clear. The second half started with a yellow card to Cranbrook for a high tackle but for 20 minutes the visitors held firm and their half time team talk obviously helped. But then ‘iron man’ Luke Webber made a decisive run which set up Gus Lister’s try. The wingman got his second soon after, taking a pass from Geddes and selling a sublime dummy and with McMann adding the extras Pilgrims were now past the 50 mark. We were watching some of the best off loading and unselfish passing we have seen for years. Tom Mackenzie, who had an awesome game, got the ball to scrum half Hector Valldares for the next try but a yellow card for Webber meant a period was spent in defence. That ended when Lister stole a ball in his own 22 area and Halliday’s perfect cross kick saw Weaver gather and sprint home for his fourth try. There were till two scores to come, Sony Trew-Neville and Valldares combining from half way for the scrum half to touch down, and finally a great 30 metre burst by impressive captain Alex Evans, both tries converted, rounded off a superb team performance. Jake Dengate received the supporters ‘Man of the Match’ award but it was a great all-round effort. Next week Pilgrims travel to Heathfield and Waldron in Sussex. There is room on the bus if anyone would like to come and support this exciting young squad.

v Worthing

PACK POWER PAYS

Posted on | by David Haigh

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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v Worthing - 30 Sept 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Match report

Pilgrims Win East Kent Derby

Posted on | by David Haigh

THANET WANDERERS 25 PILGRIMS 28

by John Mitchell

What a game this East Kent derby turned out to be and in the end the difference between the two sides was two penalty goals from the boot of Alex Davies. The game started well for Thanet, who exerted early pressure while Pilgrims made some handling and tackling errors. A penalty goal showed the home side the way and they added a second after poor work at lineout and scrum. Canterbury were playing good open rugby but an attacking move was well intercepted and the Wanderers ran through for a converted try to make it 13-0 in as many minutes. The Pilgrims were on the ropes but a good kick for touch, followed by a much better line-out, saw Cameron Macmillan go over on the back of a rolling maul to score an unconverted try, 13-5. Jesse De Vries was then taken out badly in the air, only a yellow was awarded, and a penalty, which was kicked for touch. More pressure and another good rolling maul, this time Stanley Bull scored from the back of it and Tom McMann converted, 13-12. The Pilgrims were back in the game. Thanet missed a penalty but piled on more pressure. Then from under his own posts, Gus Lister decided to run the ball instead of kick. The decision paid off and the ball was worked the whole length of the field before Adrian Geddes crashed through close to the line and Jake Dengate, who had another outstanding game, went over for an unconverted to give Canterbury a 17-13 half time lead. An excellent comeback from the Pilgrims! The second half started well for Canterbury and despite making handling errors they went further ahead when Tom McMann scored his first try for the club, but again failed to convert. An injury to Stanley Bull was a set back and on 60 minutes Thanet scored from a push over try, and converted, 20-22. Then came the game changer; Tom handed over kicking duties to Alex Davies, who promptly kicked a penalty successfully from around 40 yards. This was followed by another from just inside the opposition half to extend the lead to eight points. Game over? No, Thanet came back to score, but failed to convert. It’s now played two, won two with this bonus point victory making us joint top of Counties 1 Kent with Dartfordians and Ashford. Special mention should be made for a new young scrum half, who was making his men’s debut. Hector Valldares did all you could have asked for in his first senior game at this level, well done young man. This coming Saturday we meet Cranbrook at the Marine Travel ground with a 3:00 kick off.

V Wimbledon

Canterbury Lose Their Way

Posted on | by David Haigh

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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v Wimbledon - 23 Sept 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Match report – Tunbridge Well 3rds v Zingari

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Zingari 40pts. Tunbridge Wells 3rd 39pts.

The Zingari take maximum points by the narrowest possible margin against a highly competitive Tunbridge Wells 3rd team. The city side were made to work hard from the outset with Tunbridge laying down a marker in the opening minutes with a try out wide. Canterbury’s response minutes later was equally swift with centre Will Rayner breaking the line to touch down and Simon Crossly conversion put Canterbury ahead. This state of affairs didn’t last long with the Tunbridge forwards forcing over out wide, followed by Canterbury wingman Joe Rumsey outstripping the defence in the corner. Tunbridge again hit back through their forwards this time with a converted try followed by Canterbury’s Will Rayner interception running the ball unopposed under the posts for Crossley’s conversion, that was to prove crucial with the final score. With Half time approaching Tunbridge hit a purple patch aided by some poor Canterbury tackling racking up three quick tries, and a conversion giving them a comfortable half time lead.

The second half started with Canterbury pulling one converted try back thanks to a jinking run by Will Rayner, and crossly conversion, before we saw Tunbridge’s best try of the afternoon with their wingman diving into the corner to touch down. However, from this point onward the city forwards raised their game producing attacking ball that stretched the Tunbridge defence. The city backs exploited the overlaps with Will & Joe running in tries for Simon Crossley conversions to give the city side the narrowest margin to sealed the game.

Tries
Will Raynor 4
Joe Rumsey 2

Conversions
Simon Crossley 5