Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Losing run halted as late flourish secures home win
Canterbury ended their run of four straight defeats with a bonus point victory against Old Redcliffians in National 2 South on Saturday, writes David Haigh.
They put themselves and their supporters’ nerves through the shredder by letting a 22-point lead slip badly in the second half.
Canterbury were reduced to 14 men for the final 10 minutes by a yellow card for flanker Seb Clark but then beat the odds by creating two outstanding tries to close out a 48-29 win.
They scored seven tries – three of them going to Aiden Moss – while Alex Miller brought accuracy to the goal kicking with five conversions and a long-range penalty.
Redcliffians’ pace and continuity made two tries for wing Ezra Caven and with a conversion by Ashley Groves opened a 12-point lead.
The city club, showing many of the flaws of the past month, were not helped by injuries to Kieran Thompson and Jamie Stephens but by the end of the first quarter they had found a way back.
Hooker Tom Rogers’ try rounded off a strong driving maul from a lineout and although Miller hit the post with his conversion attempt he soon made amends with a 40-metre penalty goal.
By half time Canterbury were 10 points ahead through two more quality tries.
Moss made his first decisive impact when quick handling released him down the left wing channel and he wrong footed the defence with a swerve and sprint to the posts.
Next Miller, operating on the wing in a reshuffled back line, called for a cross field kick and Dan Smart weighted it perfectly for him to collect and score.
At the start of the second half, Moss ghosted between two defenders to claim the bonus point try and Smart’s clean break set up a fifth for wing Barney Howard.
With the scoreboard reading 34-12, the game should have been in the bag.
However, a spirited Redcliffians stormed their way back into the reckoning. No.8 Ethan Doyle was the catalyst, powering over himself then a setting up Ben Fry for his side’s fourth try.
With Groves adding two conversions and a penalty goal to the visitors’ account they were just five points in front when Clark was sin binned but City then rediscovered themselves.
JJ Murray picked a great line to score from Charlie Kingsman’s inside flick and the replacement fly half then made the break which led to Moss’s hat-trick.
It brought Canterbury relief and breathing space. Canterbury: A.moss, K.thompson (repl F.morgan), JJ Murray, A.miller, B.howard, D.smart, K.braithwaite (repl C.kingsman), A.cooper, t.rogers (repl J.otto), S.kenny (repl J.green), L Whetton, M.corker, J.stephens (repl J.rigby), S.clark, M.cantwell