PIILGRIMS SEAL THE DEAL

DEAL & BETTESHANGER 15 PILGRIMS 54

by Dan Gill

The Pilgrims made the short journey to local rivals Deal & Betteshanger in what the players were dubbing ‘Battle of the Bests’ with former Canterbury man Ollie lining up for Deal against brother Tom. The elder Best ended up with most of the bragging rights in this Counties Kent One victory.
Pilgrims have been slow starters at times but since the turn of the year they have raced out of the blocks and Saturday was no different. The forwards soon made inroads with their strong running and the backs looked slick with ball in hand. Only good Deal tackling prevented a couple of early attacks leading to scores.
The travelling supporters didn’t have to wait long however, as the forwards looked to rumble over from a maul which was stopped illegally. From the penalty Al Evans scored out wide which was well converted by Owain Collins. A second quickly followed when wing Max Campbell intercepted a pass and outpaced the defence to score and give the city side a 14-0 lead. Deal came back with an Ollie Best penalty goal.
At the 20 minute mark the Pilgrims used two interchanges with Dan Gill and Harry Sloan- making his Canterbury debut- entering the fray. The next score came via the scrum and it was Evans’ well timed pass, after picking up from the base, that put wing Gus Lister through a gap to dot down and Collins converted. A further three scores followed before half time as Pilgrims went up a gear. Fly half Collins was causing Deal all sorts of problems, taking the ball to the line well before putting his team mates into space. The next score came after his delayed pass sent Evans bursting through a gap then feeding Cam MacMillan who drove deep into the Deal 22. He offloaded to Man of the Match Yannick de Moubray who unselfishly put Lister over for his second try with Collins missing his only conversion of the day.
Collins then exploited a gap himself before scrum half Hector Valladares cantered under the posts and there was a sixth try shortly before the break. Flanker Jesse de Vries, making a welcome return from long term injury, stole possession at a lineout and strong running centres Best and Sonny Trew-Neville made inroads before sending flanker Tom McKenzie through a gap to give the Pilgrims a commanding 40-3 lead.
The second half was a much more even affair as Deal responded with direct running and committed tackling. They capitalised on a five metre scrum for a converted score before Pilgrims backs set up Campbell for his second touchdown. Silly penalties gave the hosts an attacking lineout and they did well to drive over for their second try. Lock Henry Kenny added the final score of the day, showing the defence a clean pair of heels to take the score past the fifty mark.
The Pilgrims have a week off before they return to action on Saturday, February 1st when they host Bromley at the MTG in what could be a season defining game.

Pilgrims: MacMillan, Rothery, Frostick, Kenny, De Moubray, De Vries, Mackenzie, Evans, Valladares, Collins, Campbell, Best, Trew-Neville, Lister, G Hilton, Gill, Hunt, Sloan.