This battling victory saw Canterbury take another important step away from the National 2 South relegation area.
Four tries earned them a maximum return, lifting them to eleventh place in the league table and staying eight points clear of the drop zone.
If their praiseworthy ambition was sometimes let down by the execution there could be no arguments about the city side’s determination and it was needed as they hung on to their narrow lead in some heart stopping final minutes.
Titans late assault might well have seen all the hard work destroyed, but a wrong option taken by the visitors and a penalty won by the city forwards, deservedly, saved the day.
It wasn’t until the 70th minute that Canterbury had nosed back in front with a catch and drive try from prop Cameron Townley, converted by Tom Best. The score seemed a long time in coming as the city side dominated the second half but found it difficult to unravel a patient and effective Taunton defence.
Titans led by five points at half time but that margin looked increasingly fragile as the pressure piled on them in the third quarter. Canterbury enjoyed 90 per cent of possession and territory but, frustratingly, could only come up with near misses. Mason Rosvall went closest but the wing was judged to have been held up as he burrowed over at the corner.
Replacement back Ollie Best finally broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute with a sharply taken tap and go penalty. The try brought Canterbury level at 18-18 but almost immediately they went offside and handed Titans full back GaryKingdom the chance to kick his third penalty goal.
When renewed pressure won position for Townley’s try Canterbury scented a victory which owed plenty to their first half efforts playing against the slope. Taunton scored two good tries, through wing Harry Hole, converted by Kingdom, and their outstanding flanker Dan Frost, but they also collected two yellow cards which cost them important points.
Number Eight Sam Skinner was the first go as early as the seventh minute and the Canterbury pack drove a maul before a lovely offload put Tom Burns over the line.
Hole, following good work by Taunton’s backs, and Frost from a turnover and sprint finish, had edged the visitor ahead when a sin binning for lock Ben Turner again proved costly. Martyn Beaumont’s break showed Canterbury the way, Courtney Horey made another dent and Tom Best scored in the 29th minute. Kingdom kept his side in front with a couple of penalty goals but Best, who had been off target until then, replied in kind to keep the city team well in touch at the break.
It was harder work than perhaps they anticipated in those final 40 minutes but Canterbury continues to attack refreshingly, held their nerve at the death and got the result they so badly needed.
Canterbury: A.Moss, H.Sayers, C.Horey (repl O.Best), T.Best, M.Rosvall, M.Beaumont (repl G.Hilton), D.Smart, S.Kenny, N.Wakefield (repl L.Woodbridge), A.Wake-Smith (repl C.Townley, T.Burns, M.Cantwell, S.Rogers, S.Nixon, G.Micans