SEVEN TRY BLAST

CANTERBURY 53 COLCHESTER 13

by David Haigh

This thumping victory gave Canterbury an ideal start to the new National 2 East league season. They dominated all areas as they crushed the league newcomers with a blast of seven tries. Although Head Coach Matt Corker said afterwards that there is still work to do he has plenty of talent at his disposal as he looks to smooth any rough edges. The city side’s forwards quickly took control and thirteen points in the first twenty minutes, through Cameron Macmillan’s catch and drive try and a conversion and two Frank Reynolds penalty goals, set the pattern. A Corey Button penalty goal put Colchester on the scoreboard but they were soon learning that life at a higher level will need serious adjustment. Their failure to contain a vibrant Canterbury backs division cost them dearly as Aiden Moss and Garry Jones scored converted tries to push the lead out to 27-3 at half time. The punishment was piled on early in the second half as two expertly marshalled catch and drives brought hooker Eoin O’Donoghue, who enjoyed an outstanding a game, a brace of tries. Colchester’s best spell was born of their ability to read Canterbury errors and a couple of unwise passes were intercepted to give the visitors rare attacking territory. Tries from Mike Stanway and Leroy O’Neil brought them temporary relief but in the last quarter it was business as usual for Canterbury. Frank Morgan sold a neat dummy to get his side’s sixth try and and a brilliant individual effort from replacement scrum half Tom Williams, which started in his own half, rounded off this impressive performance. Eighteen points from the boot of Reynolds, six conversions and two penalty goals, set last season’s top league points scorer firmly on his way once again.
Canterbury: H.Young, G.Jones, A.Moss, F.Morgan, M.Campbell, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, C.Macmillan, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, C.Thomas, H.Furneaux, T.Oliver. Replacements: N.Morris, O.Frostick, S.Rogers, T.Williams. K.Heatherley