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CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 41 GILLINGHAM ANCHORIANS 8

A dominant second half, in which they scored thirty three unanswered points, got Pilgrims Kent One season back on track after losses in their two previous games. In testing conditions, Canterbury harnessed the rain and wind in a way Anchorians never matched as they ran in six tries. Despite facing the worst of the storm in the first half, Pilgrims put in a controlled performance and reached the break with a four point lead. Anchorians opened the scoring through an early penalty goal but Pilgrims responded, on this wet day, with a dry weather try, putting wing Ollie Ashley-Jones in space before he gave the scoring pass to flanker Stan Bull. Frank Reynolds landed the first of his four conversions, but then gifted Anchorians their only try when a kick from inside his own 22 area went wrong and the visitors full back cashed in It was the robust Pilgrims pack which set up the try which recaptured the lead with a series of pick and goes on the Anchorians line before centre Luke Talbot plunged over. Gillingham made life harder for themselves by collecting a yellow card and came under sustained pressure after the break Reynolds, playing his first game of the season after recovering from injury, pushed them back with targeted kicking and it quickly paid dividends. The visitors overthrew a defensive lineout and Alex Evans grabbed his chance. With the forwards carrying hard, with Bull often prominent, Anchorians remained pinned in their own territory and, inevitably, the bonus point try came; a catch drive touchdown for Carter Oliver. At the start of the last quarter Reynolds pushed the lead to 27-8 with a penalty goal. In the closing ten minutes another driving maul brought a score for hooker Steve Hopkinson, while centre Frank Morgan rounded off Pilgrims satisfying day as Anchorians defence was split again and he cantered behind the posts for the sixth and final try..

Canterbury: G.Roberts, A.English, F.Morgan, L.Talbot, A.Ashley-Jones, F.Reynolds, J.Werron, J.Everatt, S.Hopkinson, C.Oliver, A.Evans, T.McKenzie, J.Dengate, S.Bull, T.Oliver. Replacements: A.Smith, H.Furneaux, H.Fermor-