Frank Puts The Boot In

WESTCOMBE PARK 12 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh

An assured second half performance, rewarded by three Frank Reynolds penalty goals, extended Canterbury’s winning streak to seven games. The victory, on a sticky pitch, was down to excellent game management and robust defence which saw them control territory and limit ‘Combe’s attacking options. Given the conditions, and the home side’s defensive qualities, this Kent derby was never going to be a try fest and the prime requirement was to make the most of your chances.’Combe did that early on when Canterbury’s failure to clear up loose ball saw Mikel Davies sprint away for the try and Max Brown convert. The response came on thirteen minutes, a breakdown penalty setting up position for a catch and drive score from the prolific Eoin O’Donoghue, his fourteenth of the season, and topped up by Reynolds. When ‘Combe created a similar chance the city side’s lineout steal averted trouble and by the end of an attritional, but absorbing, first session they had taken the lead. Wing Toby Wallace’s deliberate knock on cost him a yellow card and his side a try as Canterbury rumbled over from another driving maul. Tyler Oliver scored and although Reynolds failed with a difficult conversion he made ‘Combe pay for their indiscipline after the break. Canterbury’s expert handling of the fundamentals built frustration in the home ranks and, having failed to make significant progress, they coughed up penalties. O’Donoghue had a second try ruled out for a double movement before Reynolds struck twice in the space of five minutes at the start of the final quarter to open an eleven point gap. A visit to Canterbury territory was becoming rarer but when ‘Combe did get an opportunity, via a penalty award, they made the most of it, spreading ball from a lineout and Wallace diving in at the corner. However. that was all they were allowed as Canterbury rebuilt the pressure and piled on their replacements. A four-one split on the bench, favouring the forwards, was another decision they got right and the win was completed three minutes from time when Reynolds punished an off-side home team with his final penalty kick..

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