First Half Blast

CANTERBURY 56 HAVANT 26

by David Haigh

A commanding first half show from Canterbury, which saw them run in five tries, set up this decisive bonus point victory. It left Havant looking for consolation prizes, a late score earning them a valuable point, but for much of this National 2 East clash they were distinctly second best. The city side were positive from the off, putting width on their game at every opportunity, but it was a hard carrying pack that made the first breach and ended up doing most of the scoring. The visitors held out for nine minutes before Tyler Oliver powered through the tackles to make the first touchdown and the pattern was set. Canterbury took in their stride a yellow card for Presley Farrance, showing defensive nous and grabbing a second try as Ryley Thomas profited from Charlie McGovern’ s neat offload. The visitors were then plunged into real trouble by two further tries only two minutes apart. There was a second for Oliver and one for McGovern, after Jamie Stephens break had punched yet another hole in Havant’s defences. With Frank Reynolds perfect conversion rate the Hampshire side were vanishing in the rear view mirror and before half time the backs joined in the spree. Wing Harvey Furneaux won the chase for Reynolds slide kick but Havant finally mounted a reply through a catch and drive try from Archie Cleave, converted by Joel Knight. However, at 35-7 the game had gone away from them and eleven minutes into the second half McGovern got his second try, following a break by Eoin O’Donoghue. Havant pulled one back through Scott Thomson, converted by Jacob Knight, but at the hour mark prop Lewis Young finished some heavy pounding of the visitors line with Canterbury’s seventh try. Injuries forced a reshuffle in the city ranks so when Furneaux made the final touchdown in the75th minute he was operating as an emergency flanker. Canterbury’s adventurous approach did carry risks and errors in the closing five minutes allowed Havant the benefit of a bonus point. That came from two catch and drive tries for Sean Shepherd , one converted by Jacob Knight, but it was a small light at the end of a rather long tunnel.

Canterbury: P.Farrance, G.Jones, L.Talbot, W.Waddington, H.Furneaux, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, C.McGovern, J.Stephens, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements: T.Barton, O.Hewett, L.Young, J.Dengate, H.Kenny