Category: Match Reports

Zingari V Deal & Betteshanger

Match Report – Zingari V Deal & Betteshanger Lions

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Zingari 39pts Deal & Betts 2nds 7pts

Try

Will Rayner 2 – Luke O’Regan 3 – Jerome Weigh 2 

Conversion

Luke O’Regan 2

The Zingari took another step in their East Kent League taking on Deal & Bettshanger Lions at Merton lane with a solid performance from both their forwards and backs. It didn’t take long for the city side to get on the scoreboard with will Rayner evading his tacklers to touch down out wide, and ten minutes later returning to the fold after a long absence Luke O’Regan showed us he still had the appetite for the try line with his first try of the afternoon. The Zingari forwards battling hard managed to keep the Lions pended in their own half for long periods, and with the amount of clean possession, Will Rayner was on hand with his second try of the afternoon converted by O’Regan. The city side was beginning to build a comfortable lead when Jez Weigh added to the cushion on the stroke of halftime, spotting a gap on the blind side of a maul took a pass to squeeze in at the corner.

At the turn round, Weigh was on hand again in the opening minutes following pressure from the forwards with a try from short range, and with O’Regan conversion Canterbury began to look out of sight. However, the Lions had other ideas using their forward’s power, and keeping the ball close they started to make inroads into Canterbury territory, it was now the city that had to defend. It was only the city’s fierce tackling that managed to stem the tide before Luke O’Regan put matters beyond reach. With Canterbury getting the ball wide for O’Regan he showed he hadn’t forgotten his finishing skills with two more tries to complete his hat trick, and put the city side beyond reach. The Lions despite this setback continued to mount ferocious attacks, and in the dying moments after camping on the city’s line broke through for a well-deserved consolation converted try.

The following day after the game, we received a message from Bill Hobba, Chairman of Kent Society of Rugby Football Union Referees. In his message, he stated that the Zingari V Deal game was refereed by a young official at the start of her refereeing journey, and understandably mistakes were made during the game. Bill went on to say –

“The players’ attitude towards her was tremendous and they (and Deal) supported her through the game with barely a murmur. It was exemplary and you and they should be proud. It was a timely reminder that the best of our game is alive and well!”

 

 

 

Pilgrims V Hasting & Bexhill

Match report – Pilgrims V Hastings and Bexhill

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Won 51-5 (H-T 31-0)

Olly Ashley-Jones 5+6, Sam Rogers 10, Tom Ashley-Jones 10, Will Calder 10, Adrian Geddes, James Read 5.

This game saw the return of some of the clubs’ stalwarts from the past! Three national one players, and it was great to see their contribution.

Within one minute the Pilgrims had made a statement, Sam Rogers got the ball to Tom Ashley-Jones who scored an unconverted try, 5-0. The visitors lost a player through injury just after, and then the Sam Rogers road show started for real! He scored his first try, converted by Olly Ashley-Jones, 12-0. Then a great run, with a sublime back pass from Sam Rogers to try scorer Will Calder, and an Olly Ashley-Jones conversion saw the home side take a 19-0 lead within 17 minutes, Rogers involved in all three tries.

Then followed perhaps the team try of the day, poetry in motion, involving most of the team, with Tom Ashley-Jones scoring his second try, converted by Olly, 26-0. The Pilgrims were in control, but the difference in ability caused issues! Hastings received a yellow card for kicking a player on the ground. Sam Rogers went on a great solo run with a number of dummies, a try nearly followed but was brilliantly help up by the visitors. Another good pattern of play saw Olly Ashley-Jones score an unconverted try, and the home side went into half time 31-0 up. Five tries to one, and the bonus point secured.

Another excellent move by the home side saw Adrian Geddes score an unconverted try, 36-0. Captain Harry Andrews, who put in an excellent shift, got the ball to Sam Rogers to score his second try, and consolidate his ‘man of the match’ award, 41-0. James Read was making inroads with some great runs. Champagne rugby was being played and Will Calder, who was also mentioned in dispatches by the home supporters, who were excellent, walked in a try, literally, but again, not converted, 46-0.

Hastings and Bexhill, to their credit, never gave up and were rewarded with a late try 46-5. James Read, making his first appearance of the season, after recovering from injury, ran through to score and make it 51-5. The pilgrims, due to an unexpected defeat for Dover moved into clear second, four points off the leaders Sevenoaks, but with a game in hand.

Next week the Pilgrims play Old Dunstonians at Simon Langton Astro at 3:00, why not come along and watch? If you really are a rugby fan then put the 24th February in you diary, Friday night under lights, Pilgrims v Dover, the giant East Kent rivals will go head to head, in an attempt to win the title.

Jamie Stephens V Blackheath

Match report – Blackheath V Canterbury 1st XV

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

BLACKHEATH 40  CANTERBURY 12

By David Haigh

The league leaders took control of this game from the first minute and although Canterbury put in a  determined second half effort they were outclassed.   The pattern was set from the kick-off. Canterbury dropped it, Blackheath had field position and their backs sent full back Alex Brown over for the first of their six tries.  Playing down the wind they were 28 points ahead in as many minutes with a bonus point secured and a convincing win looming.   For Canterbury, it was a daunting prospect but it was some familiar failings in attack that hobbled them.  They won a decent share of territory, put pressure on the Blackheath line, and made two clean breaks which should have produced tries. A strong home defence and that lack of a clinical finish denied them.  At the other end it was a different story with Blackheath’s forceful carrying and a back division assured in its handling and running lines bringing further tries for  Steve Leonard, Tom Ffitch and Archie Holland. Ffitch’s immaculate goal kicking put the boot into Canterbury even further.  With the wind behind them the city side recovered their poise in the third quarter and were rewarded with close range tries from Jamie Stephens and Billy Young with Frank Reynolds adding a conversion.    But with Blackheath increasingly in charge of the set scrums, where Canterbury missed the experience of Danny Herriott, who retired with a leg injury leg In the first half, they were able to manage the game comfortably.  Holland burrowed over for his second try, converted by Ffitch, after Canterbury gave away one too many penalties and six minutes from the end scrum half Chris Bell darted through a gap for a smart individual touch down.  Before this game Head Coach Matt Corker said it would be a test of how far his squad had come since the early days of the season. On this evidence, against a very good team, they still have plenty of ground to make up.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton, R.Gladdish, T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, C.Macmillan, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate, C.Murray, J.Stephens. Replacements: T.Williams, H.Furneaux, N.Morris, V.Meredith, E.O’Donoghue

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v Blackheath - 14 Jan 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Gillingham Anchorians V CRFC Pilgrims

Match report – Gillingham Anchorians V CRFC Pilgrims

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Gillingham Anchorians 10 Canterbury Pilgrims 27

Pilgrims stepped up their challenge for the Counties Kent 2 title with a solid victory which lifted them to second place in the league table. They took an early lead  with a try from Tom Ashley-Jones and were in front for the rest of the game.  Will Calder and Jake Upward made the try, converted by Olli Finn . Within four minutes poor defending by Pilgrims allowed the home side to get the ball out wide and score. In the strong winds a kick was never going over.    What came to mar the game was reckless tackling which too often went unpunished and with it came injuries.  Rob Knott was the first to suffer but more serious was the damage to Alex Evans as he crashed over for a try in the 20th minute but had his afternoon cut short by a hospital visit. Will Calder, a young man with lots of potential, added a third Canterbury score to take the half time lead to 17-5  The first twenty minutes of the second half were awful, mistakes, stoppages, even the referee got injured. Then Eoin O’Donaghue received a lovely inside ball from Ross Howard and side-stepped the full back to score, Ollie missed the conversion but the bonus point had been secured. Anchorians kicked out to relieve pressure, took a quick throw in but it was intercepted by alert full back jack Weave who set his backs in motion. He then has looped around to take the ball and run through to score try number five. The last five minutes saw a yellow card handed to a home player, the first card of a game where arguably there could have been more. Ironically, it was Pilgrims who were then punished as Calder and Dan Gill were sent to the sin  bin. Canterbury must learn to keep quiet, play what is in front of them and not question the official. Anchorians took advantage with a consolation try.

Canterbury: A.Malik, E.O’Donoghue, J.Everatt, R.Knott, D.Gill, O.Finn, H.Furneaux, A.Evans, W.Calder, R.Howard, A.Geddes, J.Upward, V.Meredith, T.Ashley-Jones, J.Weaver. Replacements: B.Dunkerley, O.Ashley-Jones, F Holland-Oliver.

Danny H vs Westcliff

Match report – Canterbury 1st XV V Westcliff

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 52 WESTCLIFF 14

by David Haigh

The resolution of the Canterbury pack got the New Year away to the best of starts as they laid the foundations of this decisive victory. Full back Will Waddington was the individual star of the show, grabbing three of his side’s eight tries, but it was forward power that made life hard for struggling Westcliff who were rarely allowed to get on the front foot. The city club’s mastery of the testing conditions was another crucial factor and with wind and rain behind them they reached half time 26 points clear and a bonus point in their pocket. The question was whether they could sustain that performance with the elements against them and it was answered emphatically. After conceding an early second half try they erased all doubts and ran away with the game in the final fifteen minutes. The Canterbury forwards made an early statement with tries from Number Right Tyler Oliver and lock Dave Irvine in the opening seven minutes. Frank Reynolds, who went on to land six conversions, added the goal points to both scores. Forceful carrying and close range drives set up prop Billy Young for the third try but it seemed Canterbury might have to settle for that as Westcliff, with the centre partnership of Reece Whiting and Jack Hogarth often prominent, found some momentum. A heavy penalty count and a yellow card for Young put the city side under pressure which they not only survived but produced a bonus point score. A slick off-load, clever footwork from Waddington, and a Reynolds conversion, built a substantial cushion. Westcliff fly half Greg Bannister unpicked some of the threads with a neat interception, a good finish, and an excellent conversion three minutes into the second half but the city side’s response was swift and determined; Reynolds made a scything break to set up Tom Best for the fifth try. There was only one minor hitch to Canterbury’s smooth progress when Westcliff seized on a loose ball and hooker Teddy Edwards won a touchdown which Bannister again converted. The visitors, however, battered at the scrums and leaking penalties, wilted under the late onslaught and could do nothing as the city club backs cut loose. Space was made for Waddington to twice sprint clear and seconds before the final whistle scrum half Tom Williams completed a victory which sees Canterbury move up a place in the National 2 East table.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton, L. Hollidge, T.Best, F. Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements: R.Gladdish, J.Stephens, E.Lusher, T.Williams, C.Macmillan.

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v Westcliff - 7 Jan 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Whitstable 2nds V Zingari

Match report – Whitstable 2nds V CRFC Zingari

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

This was a different Whitstable from their previous encounter, the Whitstable pack stopped Canterbury from making any serious inroads until twenty minutes into the first half. It was down to Brad Allchurch making a welcome return to the club setting off on a charging run from deep touching down out wide, to give the city side a slim lead. Whitstable pack having the slight edge at the set piece managed to maintain their fair share of possession but seemed unable to make any meaningful breakthrough, mainly due to some fierce tackling that secured the city side a small but significant halftime lead.

At the change round it looked as if things would remain the same until ten minutes in when Will Rayner made a breakthrough to go over near the posts, and with Kev Stevens’ conversion at least daylight could now be seen between the two sides. Whitstable’s response was to try and exercise some dominance using some accurate long-range clearance kicks that seemed to be very effective, but with time running out the city backs caught the Whitstable backs time and again behind the gain line opening up all sorts of possibilities. First to take advantage was Mark Stone slipping through the defence for a converted try, followed by Will Rayner’s second of the afternoon. With the city forwards still keeping up their work rate they unleashed their backs for one final attack in the dying moments, finished by Richard Collins’ tackle-breaking run to go under the posts, and with Kev Stevens added conversion sealed the game for the city side.

Try 

Richard Collins 1

Mark Stone 1

Brad Allchurch 1

Will Rayner 2

Conversions

Kevin Stevens 3

East U21 vs West U21 match report

Canterbury leave it late

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY U21s 34 TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS U21s 24

These East and West Kent rivals served up some lively floodlit Christmas fare as they shared nine tries in the last game of the old year at Merton Lane. The decisive try was scored and converted by Canterbury’s Olly Ashley-Jones three minutes from the end of a match in which forward power played a major role. The Canterbury pack dominated the first thirty minutes and was the keystone in building a 22-point lead. When squad changes came from the replacements bench it was TJs turn to take control of the scrums and reduce the deficit to just three points. It set up an intriguing final session with Canterbury nudging further ahead through a penalty goal before TJs fourth try left everything in the balance with only one point between the sides. Then came the late burst from Canterbury to seal a competitive and entertaining encounter.

vs Henley

CANTERBURY 14 HENLEY HAWKS 19

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s dismal run goes on and they are now without a win since early October. The damage in this game, one of only two in National 2 East to survive the freezing weather, was largely self inflicted as they failed to convert massive second half pressure into points. They had every opportunity to make up for slack first half defending but could manage only a solitary penalty goal. That earned them a losing bonus point but it was a poor return for a side which lacked finishing power and remains anchored near the foot of the league table. After making a promising start to the match with a try from centre Tom Halliday after only two minutes they could find no way past the Hawks who put in an impressive defensive shift to protect their 19-11 half time lead. Henley made a quick response to the early Canterbury score, opening a hole for Number Eight Sam Lunnon who left Max Titchener an easy conversion. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal recaptured the lead but defensive weakness handed the visitors two more tries before the break. Wing Ryan Crowley brushed side weak tackles to claim the first, again converted by Titchener, and was instrumental in pushing the Hawks further ahead as he poached a ball on his own line. When his deep and determined run was halted the support was there to set up Lunnon’s second touchdown. Lineout troubles, where the city side missed the presence of injured skipper Jamie Stephens, frustrated the city side’s scoring opportunities which were limited to Reynolds’ second penalty goal, and before they took a grip on the second half they had a reprieve when Henley dropped the ball with the line wide open. From that point, however, it was Canterbury’s game to win as they dominated the scrums and occupied Hawks territory, All credit to the visiting defenders who stopped anything that moved but Canterbury were convinced they had scored from an attacking lineout. The officials, after consultation, ruled otherwise and the city side could not find another crack in the solid Henley wall.

Canterbury; W.Waddington, F.Morgan, T.Hallliday, T.Best, G.Hilton, F.Reynolds, T.Williams (repl B.Cooper), B.Young (repl C.Macmillan), N.Morris (repl E.O’Donoghue), D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate (repl H.Furneaux), C.Murray, T.Oliver

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v Henley - 10 Dec 2022

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Pilgrims vs Vigo

Canterbury Pilgrims 53 Vigo 10

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Pilgrims push for Counties Kent 2 honours was boosted in emphatic style as they ran in nine tries and extended their winning run to four games. Only one point now separates them from second placed Dover who they are scheduled to meet at home in two weeks time. In this latest win the city side were looking to make a statement against a team who beat them in the opening game of the season and after an even first quarter, they went about the business in ruthless fashion. Luke Webber got an early catch and drive try but Vigo, kicking effectively for territory, were five points ahead by the fifteen minute mark through two unconverted touchdowns. It was, however, a situation they could not sustain. The first of fly half Ollie Ashley-Jones’ hat trick of tries, which he also converted, recaptured the lead and after that Pilgrims pace, clever handling, and adventure gave them increasing control. Vigo got a yellow card for a late challenge, Ollie Finn and outstanding flanker Harvey Furneaux punished it with tries and at 24-10 the game was slipping away from the visitors at the half way mark. They were given a taste of things to come in the opening minute of the second half when full back Jack Weaver’s penetrating run set up position before Adrian Geddes claimed Pilgrims fifth try. With the city pack in powerful control of scrums and much else it became a holding operation for the visitors. There were frequent injury stoppages, one to repair a good referee who happily survived without damage, but the serious blows were increasingly to the Vigo defence as Furneaux grabbed his second try and Eoin O’Donoghue showed a fine burst of speed to join him on the scoresheet. That try sandwiched two more by Ashley-Jones as he topped off Pilgrims fine afternoon and added three more conversions to take them past the half century and bring his personal haul to 23 points.

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Canterbury Pilgrims vs Vigo

Images may be subject to copyright – Ken Matcham

 

Park House vs Pilgrims

PARK HOUSE 20 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 41

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

The Canterbury Pilgrims inflicted the first home defeat on Park Hosue for two and a half years, to consolidate third place in the league at the half-way point.

Canterbury started well, but after giving away a silly penalty they found themselves 3-0 down within minutes. Pilgrims then, with the help of good kicking from the hand  by Alex Williams, won a succession of line outs and from one of these Will ‘Bacon’ McColl drove over for Ollie Ashley-Jones to convert.  With Pilgrims dominating the scrums and Park House receiving a yellow card for a no arms in the tackle it became one way traffic but the home side held firm. Alex ‘Man of the Match’ Evans was making immense tackles, he and James Everett were also making good yardage in the drives. Then, on his debut, Ross Gladish dodged through, for Ollie to convert, 3-14. Alex Evans was taken out in the air and the home side went down to thirteen, with another yellow card.  Good runs by Jack Weaver,  and a Ross Howard kick chased by in form winger Adrian Geddes nearly produced a try but Pilgrims failed to score while the home side had two players off the field! James Everett then received a yellow for collapsing a maul ans the home side, back to full strength,  pressurised the visitors and scored a converted try before half-time to make it 10-14. Game on. The second half started in a dramatic way as Canterbury chased down a long kick, the bounce favoured them and Max Halliday scored for Ollie to convert, 10-21. Within minutes the Pilgrims won a penalty, duly converted by Ollie who next made a great interception and ran in a solo try. He missed the conversion but the lead was now 19 points. The game took another shift when Ollie Finn got a yellow for a neck roll, quickly followed by Freddie Holland-Oliver for a high tackle. It was Pilgrims who were now down to thirteen but it did not halt their momentum. A long kick was chased by Harry Andrews and Max Halliday and between them they won the ball for Max to score and Ollie Ashley-Jones converted. Park House hit back with an unconverted try but there was no stopping Jack Weaver, having another excellent game a full back, scoring a rollover try to push his side past the 40 point mark. Park’s consolation was the game’s final try after Harvey Furneaux received a yellow card for a high tackle,

Dover have gone top of Counties Kent 2, with Sevenoaks second and the Pilgrims third. December 17th will See Dover come to the Marine Travel ground, don’t miss it, 3:00 kick off. Book your lunch on line to see this titanic struggle between two East Kent rugby rivals and friends. Next week Vigo come to play, 3:00 kick off. See you there.