Impressive First Victory

DORKING15 CANTERBURY 38

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s first victory of the new National 2 East season was as emphatic and impressive as the scoreline suggests. In the process of collecting five league points, they scored six tries and shut down Dorking so effectively they had to wait until the closing minutes before they made any breaches in the city side’s defences. On the evidence of the opening fifteen minutes, however, there was little to suggest that Canterbury would come to dominate. They conceded territory, fell off tackles in midfield and had to work overtime to protect their line. But that commitment and relentless work rate would come to serve them brilliantly throughout the game. They restricted the home side to a single penalty goal from Jack Thorn and, having passed that early test, took control in the second quarter. By half time Canterbury were 26-3 ahead and had a try bonus point in the bag. They were down to 14 players, with Owain Collins in the sin bin, when the first try came. A fine run by wing Max Campbell won territory , the forwards camped on Dorking’s line and centre Harry Sloan put the finishing touch to the pack’s work. In the next eighteen minutes Dorking were shown how to convert opportunities into points. Hooker Lucas Eule, from a driving maul; Sloan again after wing Ollie Ashley-Jones’ long break, and then a second touchdown for Eule, peeling off a maul. Three conversions by Lewis Hollidge added to the barrage. In the second half Dorking had the advantage of the slope but Canterbury have come unstuck at this venue too often to become complacent. Again, there were periods where they needed strong defence, but they were not for breaking and put the game to bed in the 55th minute. Defence was turned into attack and prop Ollie Frostick claimed a close quarter fifth try. Dorking eventually grabbed a couple of consolation scores, from Thorn and Theo Williamson, in the dying minutes but those were split by a Tom William s try for the city side after Collins’ probing kick and chase. Collins converted to crown a game where a crop of Canterbury’s young players began to look at home in first team rugby.

Canterbury: O.Collins, O,.Ashley-Jones, F.Morgan, H.Sloan, M.Campbell, L.Hollidge, P.Farrance, C.Macmillan, S.Rogers, O.Frostick, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, G.Trapp, R.Thomas, M.McCormack. Replacements: D.Huntley, L.Eule, T.Williams, W.Waddington, J.Dengate