Canterbury 33 Henley 43: National League 2 East match report

By David Haigh

Canterbury’s four-match winning streak ended with a 43-33 National League 2 East defeat at home to Henley.

Head coach Matt Corker viewed the game against the fourth-placed visitors as test of how far his side have progressed this season, but at the end of the first half with the Hawks 31-7 ahead he was left with plenty to think about.

It was only in the last 20 minutes that the city club produced the effective rugby their coach is looking for as they ran in four tries to rescue a losing bonus point.

What went before was a tale of repeated errors which were punished ruthlessly as Canterbury lost the ball in contact, struggled at the set-pieces and handed Hawks all the space they needed.

The visitors scored five tries in the first half, the opener coming from hooker Istok Totic, and although there was a similar catch-and-drive reply from Nathan Morris, converted by Frank Reynolds, Canterbury offered little else.

They could not contain Henley's direct running and slick off-loading which brought excellent tries for Zack Taylor, Adam Hakimian, Sam Lunnon and George Wood. Three conversions by Max Titchener completed what was threatening to become a rout.

Those fears looked well grounded in the opening 12 minutes of the second half when Totic claimed his second touchdown and scrum-half Leo Webb darted through a gap. Titchener's conversion made it 43-7.

Faced with embarrassment, the city side at last found the energy, control and sharpness in attack to force themselves back into the contest. It started with Eoin O'Donoghue's mauled score in the 59th minute and a second came quickly as Tom Best put in a typical finish.

O'Donoghue's second won the bonus points before Shay Kerry got over the line in the final play.