Win to start the season!

MATCH REPORT

Sevenoaks Rugby hosted Canterbury RFC for a scintillating opening match of the season, with the home team edging out Canterbury 23-22. This was a typical initial match of the season in that both sides were finding their rhythm and securing phase play at the expense of a number of unforced errors. Of course on a warm day it was extra hard work for everyone involved and we must give a shout out to Oaks fly half Tom Simmonds who left the pitch with a serious shoulder injury deep into the first half.

The visitors had much of the possession and ascendancy in the opening salvos. They made decent ingressions into Oaks territory yet failed to convert the territory into points. So it was that a couple of penalties from Ben Adams chalked up the first points of the season for Sevenoaks. Canterbury then responded by putting together a number of phases before a catch and drive from the lineout positioned the visitors beneath the posts and repeated infringements from Oaks resulted in a penalty try. A fracas following the try saw a Canterbury player binned and the resulting penalty re-start was slotted by Ben Adams. 9-10 was the half time score.

The pattern of the second half mimicked the first and Canterbury again pressed into Oaks territory. However Oaks then found field position and with Ollie Shirtcliff pulling the string at 10 he set up Barney Stone for an outstanding direct line to zip in under the posts. Adams secured the extras. Canterbury then took the game fully to Oaks and onslaught after onslaught finally resulted in Alfie Orris diving over in the corner and Reynolds slotting the extras. Game on with ten minutes left in a one point game.

The next event was hesitation in the Canterbury back line through an exit, which was charged down by Oaks and it was again Stone who romped under the posts. The game however wasn’t done and Tom Williams went over in the corner for Canterbury and Reynolds produced an outstanding conversion to bring it back to a one point with five minutes to go.

There was drama at the finish as Canterbury broke out of their half and on the final play, Olly Rossilo delivered an amazing try-saving tackle in the corner to deny the Canterbury left wing the winning score. Hats off to both teams for putting on a proper National League Two spectacle.

SQUADS

Sevenoaks Rugby Club

Livett; Adams; Stone; Corrigan; Forrester; Simmonds; Davenport. Rolfe; Galligan; Simmons; Burmeister; Southon; Cambier; McRae; Derrick ©. Strainge; Galligan; McKean; Shirtcliff; Rossilo.

Canterbury RFC

Hollidge; Morgan; McGann; Jones; Best; Orris; Reynolds; Parrance; Holland; Morris; Herriott; Murray; Stephens ©; Rogers; Furneaux; Oliver. O’Donoghue; McColl; Kerry; Williams; Dayes

HALF TIME SCORE

Sevenoaks Rugby 9 – 10 Canterbury RFC

FULL TIME SCORE

Sevenoaks Rugby 23 – 22 Canterbury RFC

SEVENOAKS RUGBY SCORES PLUS TIMES

35' Ben Adams P

36' Ben Adams P

38’ Ben Adams P

53' Barney Stone T; Adams C

73' Barney Stone T; Adams C

CANTERBURY RFC SCORES PLUS TIMES

38' Canterbury Penalty Try