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Second Half Fade Out
WESTCOMBE PARK 27 CANTERBURY 14
by David Haigh
A dominant second half from ‘Combe settled this Kent derby as an error prone Canterbury failed live up to their early promise. Their nine point half time lead vanished in a rising count of mistakes and turnovers as the hosts picked them off with three unanswered tries. The city side went into the game weakened by injuries and ‘Combe were able to target key areas to telling effect after the break, but that was no excuse for the drop off in judgment and physicality. That poor forty minutes was in direct contrast to the team who controlled much of the first half. Their early attacks brought a yellow card for ‘Combe’s Sam Fombo and an immediate catch and drive try by Nathan Morris. That score was countered by an unconverted try from ‘Combe’s Taine Wagstaff but it was the city side who were playing with greater confidence and they marked it with anther classy seven points. Swift handling and a delayed pass opened the gap for Eoin O’Donoghue to score between the posts and Frank Reynolds’ second conversion was easy. Further points proved more elusive as Canterbury failed to capitalise on close quarter mauls and opted to ignore kickable penalty chances, but at the end of the half they could look back on a decent body of work. When they came out for the second half, however, their memory failed them. A yellow card for replacement Alfie Orris gave ‘Combe their first chance through a catch drive try for Harry Hudson, converted by Nathan Wyman and they never looked back. Winning all the important clashes and seizing on a now muted Canterbury’s errors they were gifted a third try, scored by Mark Muhamman courtesy of some weak defending. Stripped of possession the city side were a shadow of their earlier selves. Wyman’s conversion and a 71st minute penalty goal moved his side eight points ahead and a lost lineout helped ‘Combe to claim a bonus point from the last play of the game through wing Joe Ratcliff’s try.
Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Jones, F.Morgan, T.Best, B.Law, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, E.Lusher, N.Morris, D.Herriott, J.Stephens, C.Murray, T.Mackenzie, E.O’Donoghue, A.Evans. Replacements: T.Williams, W.Hunt, A.Orris, H.Furneaux, A.Malik.
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