Pilgrims match report

HEATHFIELD & WALDRON 18 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 34

by John Mitchell

The unbeaten Pilgrims stayed ahead of the Counties 1 Kent pack with this bonus point victory on their first ever visit to Heathfield and Waldron. The game started badly for the visitors. Two knock-ons, holding on, poor scrummaging and a line out throw that was not straight. Result, penalty 3-0 down and they were soon ten points behind after further mistakes in the 5 metre area gave the home side a converted try. So different to last weeks superb performance. Then from a scrum, half backs Tom Williams and Tom McMann made space for Adrian Geddes to score out wide out and McMann converted. They next took full advantage of a yellow card for H&W with Luke Webber driving over from a lineout maul and McMann again adding the extras. Just before the half hour mark Jack Weaver made inroads, linked with McMann and he sent Geddes over for his second try, but the conversion attempt hit the post Now it was the visitors turn to get a yellow, this time Webber paid the price and took a team card for high tackles. A Heathfield and Waldron cross kick seemed bound for touch but Pilgrims kept the ball in play and an unfavourable bounce handed the Sussex side an unconverted try. But their kicker made no mistake from a penalty award and at half time the Pilgrims lead at 19-18 was down to one point. The second half, however, belonged to the Pilgrims. Good pressure and excellent handling saw the ball moved quickly to Tom Williams, now out on the wing, for him to drive over for an unconverted try. The Canterbury forwards were now dominating, with Cameron Macmillan and Jake Dengate leading the way, and the backs were beginning to gel as they sent Sonny Trew-Neville over for another unconverted touchdown to extend the lead to eleven points. The visitors continued to press and Presley Farrance, coming on at Number 9 for the second half, gave the pass for Luke Webber to score the final try and seal the win. Pilgrims top the league with 20 points, four clear of the second and third placed teams, one of whom, Dartfordians, come to The Marine Travel Ground this weekend.