Canterbury endured a frustrating start to the National 2 South campaign as they suffered a narrow 28-24 defeat at Clifton on the opening day.

The city club were made to pay for ill-discipline and handling errors, and though a late try eventually secured them two bonus points, they could easily have returned from Bristol with a victory having outscored the hosts four tries to three.

The city club began brightly but could not make it count and Clifton made them pay with their first attack, centre Lucas Slowik breaking free and fly half James Mackay converting the score.

It was 12-0 within 20 minutes as Mackay’s good work led to a try for full back Jack Hughes, though Canterbury got back on track with a trademark catch-and-drive try, with Brook Cowan touching down, with Guy Hilton adding the extras.

However a mistake at the restart gave the initiative back to Clifton and Mackay’s penalty made it 15-7 and before the break Cowan and Martyn Beaumont had been forced off injured.

With the hosts temporarily down to 14 due to a sin-binning, Canterbury closed the gap four minutes after the turnaround as Hilton dummied his way through the defence before dashing through behind the posts and converting his own score.

Despite being within a point, errors, turnovers and indecision proved costly and Sam Rogers was sin-binned and Mackay was able to extend the lead to seven with two penalties.

Canterbury pulled within two points when Connor Wallace-Sims broke forward and good handling sent wing Aiden Moss over in the corner, however more illdiscipline offered the hosts the chance of a catch-and-drive try, converted by Mackay to make it 28-19.

Hilton intercepted a pass and hared through to reduce the gap late-on, and secure two bonus points, however the hosts claimed the win to continue their winning run against Andy Pratt’s side.