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CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 20 DARTFORDIANS 22

This Regional 2 relegation play-off game proved just a step too far for Pilgrims. After the narrow defeat they will be playing their rugby in Counties One Kent next season. Canterbury fought back from conceding an early converted try and by half time had squeezed into the lead through a Will Hilton penalty goal and his conversion of Fraser Doig’s try a minute before the break. A powerful finish by flanker Mo Pangarker, who brushed off two tacklers, gave Pilgrims an ideal try-scoring start to the second half, although Hilton missed the conversion. The game then took another twist as injuries to front row men Sam Rogers and Carter Oliver meant uncontested scrums. Dartfordians, however, began to make inroads and as the match went into its final quarter they had retaken the lead. The backs produced the first of two tries and, as Pilgrims conceded penalties, a catch and drive brought another. A yellow card for Pangarker put Canterbury under more pressure and when they were stripped of possession Dartfordians turned it into their fourth touchdown. With all the conversions failing, Pilgrims were still in the contest and the chance to level the scores came when centre Garry Jones surged over for their third try. But Hilton’s conversion kick was wide and Canterbury fell through the trap door..

CANTERBURY 29 BARNES 31

by David Haigh

A Barnes try from the final play of the game snatched victory from a Canterbury team which lost its way in the second half. The defeat also confirmed that they will end the National 2 East season in fifth spot, one behind the victorious visitors. This was a disappointment for a city side which dominated the first half, scored three outstanding tries, with a penalty try thrown in for good measure, and were fourteen points ahead at the break. Two of the scores came from wing Aiden Moss, playing his last game before calling time on an outstanding career with the club. He showed that his talents remain undimmed with a powerful finish after just two minutes and, on the half hour, silky footwork brought the second. Barnes made a quick reply to the early set back, with a try from fly half Will Nicholson, but Canterbury’s attacking mindset proved irresistible. Will Waddington’s break and swift support work prefaced the first try and, after 15 minutes, a great off-load from Moss and Charlie McGovern’s pace brought another. A yellow card for an under pressure Barnes saw Canterbury push further ahead as they forced the penalty try and, when classy handing by the backs released Moss again, things looked good. With two conversions from Frank Reynolds they led 26-5, but three minutes before half time Barnes showed they were up for the fight as pack power rewarded them with a penalty try of their own. They kept that momentum going in the second half as Canterbury’s fluency deserted them. An Elliot Haydon try and Nicholson’s conversion narrowed the gap to seven points as the city side dropped passes and struggled to hold on to possession. All they mustered was a Reynolds penalty goal, but missed out on a Tyler Oliver break when he failed to spot the support. In the last quarter Barnes tightened their grip and a catch and drive try from Adam Musa, converted by Nicholson, put the game on edge. There were yellow cards for Cameron Macmillan and Oliver as Canterbury defended strongly, but too many penalties were conceded and it cost them that last gasp catch and drive try from Rory Kassapian.

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

Written by Amber Waitimas

Dorking 17- 24 Canterbury Women 1st XV

Canterbury Women delivered a composed and physical performance on the road to secure a 24–17 victory over Dorking, with a dominant first half laying the platform for a hard-fought win.

Canterbury started with real intent, controlling territory and building pressure through their forward pack. Early carries from Lizzie Deverson, Rosie Payne and Ellie Rowe set the tone, while second-row partnership Amber Waitimas and Emma Alleyne brought physicality in the tight exchanges. However, an early setback saw Waitimas forced off through injury, with Mary Trimmer introduced earlier than expected and quickly making her presence felt around the park.

That disruption did little to slow Canterbury’s momentum. Sustained pressure close to the line, built through a series of pick and go phases, saw Hannah Sandeman crash over for the opening try. Robyn Gulley added the conversion to give Canterbury a deserved lead.

The forwards continued to dominate, with Lucy Relf and El Crowe carrying hard and consistently getting over the gain line. Following another sustained period of pressure and repeated infringements from Dorking during a pick and go sequence on the try line, the referee awarded a penalty try after a series of high tackles.

With Ella Jenkins providing quick, accurate service from the base, Canterbury maintained a high tempo. Strong support play from Layla Little and Lola Yuille-Clough ensured continuity in midfield, while Alice Hayward and Teagan Febrey posed threats out wide. The third try came through Gulley, who controlled proceedings expertly, spotting space, she broke the line to score before converting her own try, sending Canterbury into the break with a commanding 21–0 lead.

Dorking came out strongly in the second half, applying pressure and finding more rhythm in attack. However, Canterbury’s defence stood firm. Emily Moriarty, alongside her back three unit, provided a composed and reliable final line, dealing well with Dorking’s attempts to stretch play wide.

The second half was a physical contest, with both sides engaging in strong maul play. Canterbury turned defence into attack at a key moment, creating a maul from a high Dorking carry and earning a penalty advantage. Quick ball from Jenkins kept Dorking on the back foot, with direct carries repeatedly breaking the gain line and forcing offside penalties.

Gulley added a crucial penalty to extend Canterbury’s lead as Dorking began to build momentum. Despite late pressure from the hosts, Canterbury’s defensive structure held strong. Their aggressive line speed and well organised drift defence shut down attacking opportunities, with Sandeman once again outstanding in defence.

El Crowe’s powerful ball carrying continued to draw in multiple defenders, creating space for others, while Relf led from the front. As fatigue set in during the closing stages, her energy and physicality lifted the side, helping to disrupt Dorking’s attacking phases and regain control.

The bench made a significant impact, with Alexia Scarpulla, Claire Bernthal and Monique Beaumont adding fresh energy to the pack, while Lucy Spencer, Ellie Desborough and Mimi Jupe brought intensity and composure to see out the game.

Forward of the match was awarded to El Crowe for her relentless carrying and presence across the pitch, while back of the match went to Ella Jenkins for her control of both forwards and backs, and her excellent work at the base of the ruck to manage the game. A special mention goes to skipper Lucy Relf, whose leadership and determination helped lift the team at key moments, driving standards and energy when it mattered most.

Ultimately, it was a complete squad performance. From the first whistle to the last, Canterbury showed determination, resilience and togetherness to secure a well earned away victory, a result built on discipline, physicality and collective effort.

 

Match Report. 28.03.26

Canterbury 5^th v Thanet 3rds

Canterbury5th 17pts.  Thanet 3^rd  17pts.

Canterbury returned to the field after a long-enforced absence due to a series of cancelled fixtures that showed in the opening quarter against their old adversaries Thanet Wanderers. This looked obvious from the start with Thanet dominating most of the territory only some resolute tackling stopped them from being overrun. The Zingari held out until they succumbed  in the twentieth minute after a period of sustained pressure, Thanet worked the ball wide touching down in the corner for an unconverted try. The city side could have broken after a further period of Thanet pressure but they maintained their structure, and after a break into the Thanet half the forwards released the ball to the backs for Elliot Nye breaking the defensive line to go over near the posts, and with Rob Horan’s  conversion to follow to snatch a slender two point  lead taking them into halftime.

 

The second half saw both sides battle for territory with the Zingari forwards beginning to look their old selves until a poor clearance kick gave the Wanderers a free run at the line to squeeze in at the corner taking back the lead. This seemed to have an effect on Canterbury who doubled their efforts  launching a series of attacks that they somehow managed to squander that would have put them out of sight. Instead, their only reward was a penalty converted by Horan levelling the scores. With the game now going into the last minutes the city side were  delt another blow after another poor clearance kick was punished ending in a try near the posts, and this time with a successful conversion. With the game now entering stoppage time the Zingari forwards managed to regain possession launching their backs in one last effort finding that man Elliot Nye who finished it off, and with Rob Horan’s  conversion brought the game to a final exciting, and honourable conclusion

Canterbury Hold Off Jersey in Thrilling 32–27 Home Victory

 

Written by Amber Waitimas

 

Canterbury secured an exciting 32–27 victory at home against Jersey in a closely contested match that showcased the team’s resilience, discipline and attacking flair.

Canterbury started strongly, dominating the early exchanges with good territory and possession.

 

However, mistakes inside Jersey’s 22 allowed the visitors to counter-attack and score against the run of play. Jersey’s quick ball from the back of the ruck and powerful ball carriers continued to test Canterbury’s defence, but determined efforts kept them out on many occasions. Some outstanding tackles from Lily-Inger Philpott (playing her final game before moving to Australia to continue her rugby journey), Inger Philpot and Emma Alleyne highlighted the defensive grit shown throughout the game.

 

Jersey were quick to capitalise when Canterbury’s defensive line became momentarily disorganised, but the home side soon regained their structure and composure, putting into practice the hard work done on the training pitch. Once settled, Canterbury began to find gaps in Jersey’s defence through the pace and agility of Lily-Inger Philpott and El Crowe.

 

Canterbury’s opening try came from a well-executed line-out move straight from the training ground. Clean ball from the set piece allowed the forwards to set the platform before one phase created the opportunity for Lily-Inger Philpott to spot a gap and power over the line.

 

Shortly before Canterbury’s second try, Jersey were shown a yellow card which left them temporarily down to 14 players. The backs were quick to recognise the extra space and capitalised on the advantage, moving the ball well through the line before eventually sending Lola Yuille Clough down the wing to score. Just a few minutes later, Jersey were shown a second yellow card, giving Canterbury a further advantage as the pressure continued to build.

 

Robyn Gulley delivered a standout performance, scoring a hat-trick of tries and converting one of her own scores. Once Canterbury found their rhythm, Gulley controlled the game excellently. Her decision making was key, with well-placed kicks turning Jersey deep into their own half and putting them under pressure to exit. Crucially, her decision to take points from a penalty gave Canterbury the five-point cushion that ultimately secured the win.

 

Across the pitch there were strong individual contributions. Alice Hayward and Lola Yuille Clough were excellent in defence on the wings, shutting down Jersey’s attacks out wide. Lizzie Deverson also impressed with several strong carries and was consistently on hand in support to keep the attack moving.

 

The impact from the bench proved vital, with the replacements bringing fresh energy and momentum at key moments. Mary Trimmer made a real difference when she came on, securing several important turnovers that helped swing momentum back in Canterbury’s favour. Both scrum-halves, Lydia Ticehurst and Lucy Spencer, also controlled the game very well, delivering quick ball from the rucks and keeping the tempo high when it mattered most.

 

The forwards also saw a noticeable improvement at the set piece as the game went on. Fresh legs in the front row and second row made a real impact, with Canterbury’s scrum becoming a much stronger platform in the later stages of the match.

 

From 1 to 22 it was a complete team performance, with every player contributing to the result.

 

As the match drew to a close, Jersey continued to push, but Canterbury held firm. The final play saw a crucial try-saving tackle from Robyn Gulley to seal the victory and secure the win.

 

Credit must also go to Jersey, who fought hard throughout. Their scrum and maul provided a strong platform and their quick ball movement kept Canterbury under pressure until the final whistle.

 

Forward of the Match went to Lizzie Deverson for her powerful carries and tireless work rate, while Robyn Gulley was named Back of the Match after a commanding performance that included a hat-trick and excellent game management.

 

In the end, Canterbury’s composure, teamwork and determination saw them come away with a deserved 32–27 win.

 

L Deverson, I Philpott. C Bernthal, E Rowe, E Alleyne, L Relf (c), L Philpott, E Crowe, L Ticehurst, R Gulley, A Hayward, L Little, E Kent, L Yuille-Clough, E Moriarty (vc) R: M Rhodes, R Betteridge, A Waitimas, M Trimmer, A Scarpulla, L Spencer, T Febrey

Old Gravesendians 22-37 Canons

The Canons made it back to back wins and jumped up to 6^th in the Counties 3 table with a dominant win away at Old Gravesendians.

 

The gradient of the pitch at OGs made the slope on the main pitch at the MTG look like a bowling green in comparison, and playing up the hill(/mountain) in the first half, the Canons knew that they were in for a battle before they would have the advantage themselves.  OGs were the bigger and heavier side, and used their advantage immediately to power over from close range.   A short while later, the Canons added their own points with a Henry Carruthers penalty to close the gap.  As they started to play more freely, the Canons started to regularly work their way into the OGs half, and with 15 minutes gone, crossed the whitewash through Will Rayner.  Carruthers added the extras as the Canons took a 3-point lead. OGs crossed for an unconverted try from a 5m scrum before the Canons regained the lead through a long-range penalty from 45m out by Josh Lamb – impressive, given the kick was up the hill.  A well worked set play from an attacking scrum allowed Will Rayner to cross under the posts for his second try, before a response from OGs as they grabbed a third try down the right, but again failed to convert. Mark Stone crossed from a tap and go penalty to give the Canons a 25-17 lead at half time.

 

The second half started brightly, a superb interplay between forwards James Everatt, Freddie Philpott and Jake Forrest allowed the latter to crash through and secure a try scoring bonus point for the away side.  For the next quarter, the game reached a period of stalemate, with both teams defending well and forcing errors from the opposition.  It was only after some Henry Carruthers magic that the deadlock was broken.  From a Canons lineout in their own 22, Carruthers spotted a gap in the defence and broke past 4 OGs defenders.  After stepping the last defender, it looked as though he would go all the way, only for a last ditch tap tackle to deny him.  From the floor, he offloaded to Kel Katta, who scored in the corner.  OGs managed to score their own fourth try in the last play of the game for a try bonus, but the Canons had won the afternoon, bringing 5 points back to the MTG on Shorty’s funbus.

 

There were some superb performances during the match, including Henry Carruthers at fly half, and Jake Forrest at number 8, but the 2 players of the match go to Izaak Guck and Harry Crowley – both colts who were playing in their first game of senior rugby.  Both stepped up and pushed the team forward, and helped to lay the platform for Canterbury to get the win.

 

The Canons have a break week, before back-to-back home games against Brockleians and Gravesend 2s.  Having lost in the last play of the game against Brockleians earlier in the season, the Canons will be looking to maintain their form to seek revenge and make it a hat trick of consecutive wins.

The Canons bounced back from defeat with a dominant 84-17 victory against New Ash Green.

Dominant outsider there were hat tricks from Mark Stone and Ollie Jeffery, as well as further scores from Herbie Bowler, Will Rayner, Ben Jones, Limmer and Ed Reid, Jake Forrest and Henry Carruthers Canterbury had scored 50 by half time in a free flowing first half. Concentration lapsed somewhere after the break as New Ash Green grabbed 3 scores of their own before the home side rallied, including Flanker Ben Jones half way line effort.

The Canons travel to Old Gravesendians this weekend, in a bid back up their victory and show that they are not just home game heroes.

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