Canterbury RFC concede two late tries to lose by one point at Clifton in National 2 South
Canterbury squandered the chance of a memorable win at Clifton
in National 2 South on Saturday, allowing a late 11-point lead to
slip to a 37-36 defeat.
The city club did collect two bonus points but it should have
been more, their forwards taking the opposition apart at set
scrums, pounding their hosts with driving mauls and poaching
important line-out ball.
Canterbury scored six tries thanks to the good work of the
forwards with hooker Tom Rogers bagging two, Ben Massey Wim Baars
and the fit-again Peter Kelly one each with an additional penalty
try against a disintegrating Clifton scrum.
However there was some loose and unfocused play from Canterbury
which was seized upon by the Clifton back-line. The hosts led 5-0
before Canterbury came back to move ahead 24-19 at half-time.
The Bristol side pressed hard in the opening 15 minutes of the
second half but solid Canterbury defence limited them to a penalty
before Baars barged over for a converted score to extend the
lead.
Another penalty cut the lead to six but a catch and drive score
from Kelly with 11 minutes to go made it 36-25 and put the visitors
in a commanding position.
However with only the clock to beat, Canterbury failed to
control the ball and lost concentration in defence, allowing
Clifton wing Sam Smith to chase down a kick to score and just 60
seconds later add a second try after a missed tackle, with the
conversion sealing a demoralising defeat for the city club, who
stayed 10th.
19/11/12
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