Canterbury got their National 2 South season up and running with a bonus-point 33-25 win over Launceston at Merton Lane on Saturday.

After late tries cost them victory in their opening two games against Clifton and Cambridge, the city club set about building an early advantage which was enough to see them over the line.

After just seven minutes they had a 12-0 lead thanks to prop Mark Livesey barging over after five minutes and just two minutes later Martyn Beaumont registered a fine solo effort, returning a speculative kick from his own half with a stunning jinking run.

Jake Murphy pulled back a penalty and a drop-goal for the visitors, with Canterbury reduced to 14 by a sin-binning, but Beaumont and Aiden Moss combined to send Ricky Mackintosh through a gaping hole to extend the lead (pictured), with Tom Best’s second conversion making it 19-6.

The Cornish side pulled back a converted try through Lewis Paterson shortly before the break after hooker Tom Rogers was sin-binned, to leave the advantage at six points at the turnaround.

It was a one-point game when Murphy set-up a try for Richard Friend after the restart, however the hosts responded with a storming run from Rob Lennox setting-up wing Kwaku Asiedu to score, with Best converting from the touchline.

Best rattled the woodwork with a penalty soon after, but after regaining possession, Best sent a grubber kick through into space which he recovered for a try which he converted himself to make it 33-18.

In the final 20 minutes Canterbury spurned chances to extend their lead and both teams saw men sin-binned, but despite a second converted try from Paterson ensuring a nervy finale, the hosts held on for victory.