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HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR CANTERBURY
CANTERBURY 24 GUERNSEY RAIDERS 15
by David Haigh
If there were any doubts about Canterbury’s reaction to a weather delayed start to the New Year they were put to rest in this full on National 2 East battle. They twice came from behind before a brace of second half tries finally saw off the Raiders challenge and confirmed that the city side’s strong pre-Christmas form was no flash in the pan. The victory was a statement of the progress made since they fell to their heavies defeat of the season at Guernsey back in September. In that game, wing Garry Jones’s hat trick of tries could not save them. Here he was again in great shape, with two touchdowns, but this success was as much about the tackle count as the try count. At critical stages it was Canterbury’s committed defenders who kept at bay a dangerous Raiders side which was dominating possession, then found the poise to close out the match. Frank Reynolds gave them an early lead with a penalty goal but as the initial pressure faded Guernsey took charge of the ball and a powerful driving maul brought a try for hooker James Burger. Charlie Simmonds missed the conversion but made amends with a 29th minute penalty shot. It was close to the end of the first half before Canterbury built another meaningful attack and it paid off handsomely when Reynolds slid a grubber kick behind the defence and Jones dived on it for the try. Reynolds excellent conversion took his side to a 10-8 half time lead but that vanished soon after the break when Guernsey produced an impressive score. Simmonds clean break was sustained by great support and off-loading before Sam Boyland touched down between the posts and the conversion was a formality. A yellow card for Tyler Oliver added to Canterbury’s problems as Raiders stayed on the front foot but it was the city side, still in calm and confident mood, who regained the lead. A Kurt Heatherley cross kick spurred an attack and this time it was the home side’s skillful off loading that put Harvey Furneaux over and Reynolds converted. The clincher came in the 65th minute as Canterbury worked the ball wide from a scrum, the smallest of gaps opened and Jones, having switched to centre, stretched over the line and Reynolds converted. Guernsey hurled themselves back into the mix in the closing stages but an unyielding and physical home defence got its reward.
CANTERBURY: K.Heatherley, G.Jones, A.Moss, W.Waddington, H.Young, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, C.Thomas, S.Rogers, T.Oliver. Replacements A.Cooper, H.Furneaux, T.Williams, C.McGovern, N.Morris.
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