Match report – Whitstable 2nds V CRFC Zingari

This was a different Whitstable from their previous encounter, the Whitstable pack stopped Canterbury from making any serious inroads until twenty minutes into the first half. It was down to Brad Allchurch making a welcome return to the club setting off on a charging run from deep touching down out wide, to give the city side a slim lead. Whitstable pack having the slight edge at the set piece managed to maintain their fair share of possession but seemed unable to make any meaningful breakthrough, mainly due to some fierce tackling that secured the city side a small but significant halftime lead.

At the change round it looked as if things would remain the same until ten minutes in when Will Rayner made a breakthrough to go over near the posts, and with Kev Stevens’ conversion at least daylight could now be seen between the two sides. Whitstable’s response was to try and exercise some dominance using some accurate long-range clearance kicks that seemed to be very effective, but with time running out the city backs caught the Whitstable backs time and again behind the gain line opening up all sorts of possibilities. First to take advantage was Mark Stone slipping through the defence for a converted try, followed by Will Rayner’s second of the afternoon. With the city forwards still keeping up their work rate they unleashed their backs for one final attack in the dying moments, finished by Richard Collins’ tackle-breaking run to go under the posts, and with Kev Stevens added conversion sealed the game for the city side.

Try 

Richard Collins 1

Mark Stone 1

Brad Allchurch 1

Will Rayner 2

Conversions

Kevin Stevens 3