A last minute try and conversion salvaged a losing bonus point for a Canterbury side who have become strangers to victory since September.

This narrow defeat, against one of the league’s front runners, pushed them closer to the relegation zone and while the performance lacked nothing in commitment it raised serious questions about the city club’s technical deficiencies.

Like the rain and wind, penalties poured down on them all afternoon. They led directly to Albanians two first half tries and helped to neuter much of Canterbury’s second half effort.

It was a frustrating experience for the home crowd because they had seen their team compete well and take a slender lead in the first twenty minutes.  Tyler Edwards try from a lineout drive was converted by Tom Best and although Max Malins knocked over a couple of penalty goals for Albanians, the visitors were mostly contained by a tight defence.

Then the penalties started to flow, handed Albanians good field positions and they did not miss out.

Pressure and patience created an overlap try for wing Jimmy Speirs after 25 minutes followed by a second, six minute later, for lock Ross Hamilton.  A Malins conversion sent the visitors into half time with an eleven point lead but with the wind behind them Canterbury must have scented success.

They were denied any sort of encouragement for 25 minutes by a well organised Albanians, the inevitable handling mistakes on a filthy afternoon and the blast of the referees whistle. Canterbury seemed to have learned nothing, particularly about what is allowed around the tackle and breakdown areas.

An accurate and more judicious use of the wind would have helped their cause but it was Best’s boot which eventually put new optimism into his side.  Speirs could only palm his cross field kick into the path of Mason Rosvall who booted on and chased for the try.

There were no additional goal points but Canterbury were now only a converted try away from a win.  Those hopes were then buried latae in the day with a try out of the blue from Albanians England Under 18 fly half Malins.  There seemed no danger when he collected a kick on half way but the city defenders got in a tangle and his decisive run took him past three men before he scored..

Canterbury were facing another of those pointless afternoon, but a minute into stoppage time won a reprieve as a dropped pass and a kick and chase saw Harry Sayers win the race for the touchdown.  Best landed a tricky conversion to claim a deserved consolation prize but the laws of the game must be required reading for several city players before they travel to Dorking on Saturday.

 

Canterbury: M.Beaumont, H.Sayers, W.Farris, T.Best, M.Rosvall, G.Hilton ( repl C.Horey), O.Best (repl D.Smart), C.Townley (repl J.Green), S.Rogers (repl N.Wakefield), A.Wake-Smith (repl C.Townley), T.Burns (repl T Edwards) T.Edwards, (repl R.Cadman) S.Nixon, R.Ward, G.Micans