Late, Late Derby Victory

CANTERBURY 30 WESTCOMBE PARK 23

by David Haigh

A Kent derby that went down to the wire saw Canterbury snatch their third consecutive victory with a try from the last play of the game. That grandstand finish took the city side to fifth place in the National 2 East table but a battling ‘Combe outfit, which has now lost three matches in the final minute, must wonder how they can get across the line. They might have won this one had they not dropped a pass in the closing stages, but failure to exploit three Canterbury yellow cards and crack some excellent defending frustrated them.. A dismal start by Canterbury left them trailing by thirteen points in as many minutes. Failing to secure the kick-off they were swiftly punished with a try from former city centre Kyan Braithwaite. Charlie Fatoma converted and poor discipline presented him with two penalty chances which were duly dispatched. Canterbury had rarely left their own half but on eighteen minutes they produced a classy response. Attacking down the left, Frank Morgan and Harry Sloan handled sweetly before Tom Williams’ pace took him clear to the posts. Frank Reynolds converted and, importantly, never missed another kick at goal all afternoon. A close range try from Combe’s talented scrum half Mikel Davies put them temporarily back in the driving seat but at the break they were ahead by only five points as Reynolds calmly sliced the lead from two penalty chances. He kicked a third a minute into the new half but renewed pressure and an astute cross kick saw Ben Fryatt grab another unconverted score for the visitors. It was the work of a mauling Canterbury pack that brought the scores level, with hooker Eoin O’Donoghue making the touchdown, but in the final quarter they invited trouble when illegal tackles saw Mo Pangarker, Sloan and Williams banished at various stages for ten minutes. ‘Combe, however, missed their opportunity, gave away penalties and late on fourteen man Canterbury took their chance as they set up another powerful attacking maul. At the bottom of the pile as it drove over the line, as so often, was O’Donoghue.

Canterbury: L.Talbot, F.Morgan, H.Sloan, W.Waddington, H.Furneaux, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, L.Young, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, C.McGovern, J.Stephens, R.Thomas, M.Pangarker, T.Oliver. Replacements: J.Walker, C.Macmillan, G.Jones, K.Heatherley, D.Huntley.