Wimbledon 36 Canterbury 52: National League 2 East match report

By David Haigh

Canterbury are proving to be the traveling men of National League 2 East as they registered their fifth win on the road - a 52-36 try fest at Wimbledon.

As one of only three games in the league to survive the January freeze the action was red hot from the start and it was lowly Wimbledon, shock winners at Merton Lane earlier this season, who struck the early blows and gave notice that once again they were going to be a handful.

After going 14 points behind in the first eight minutes to two converted tries by scrum-half Tim Ridler, the city side got a handle on things but at the end of a frantic first half, in which both sides scored four tries, they were still two points behind. It was the third quarter that proved pivotal to Canterbury's success in an impressive spell which brought three tries and opened a decisive 19-point lead.

After those early warnings from a side that thrive on attack, Canterbury started to exploit Wimbledon's defensive shortcomings. They exploited gaps in midfield to telling effect and tries by Tom Best, Eoin O'Donoghue and Will Waddngton, plus a Frank Reynolds conversion, edged them ahead.

Canterbury were, however, guilty of giving up ball in contact and the hosts turned that possession into tries for Brad Fincham and their clever fly-half Ed Morgan, who added another conversion. It was a neat off-load from Reynolds to guide Jesse De Vries over between the posts for a converted try that narrowed the gap three minutes before the break.

When Canterbury came out for the second half they had decided enough was enough. Four minutes in and wing Garry Jones, always looking for work, peeled off the side of a maul to touch down and soon got a second try. It was the best of the day as