Another one that got away.  Canterbury continued a worrying early season habit of missing out in tight games as they failed to make the most of their second half supremacy.

After losing the plot in the first 40 minutes they launched a massive salvage operation but, once again, could not convert chances into points

The city side found themselves 22-5 in arrears at the end of a thoroughly unconvincing first half, which cost them three tries, but fought back strongly to restrict Clifton to a single penalty goal after the break and looked set for their second victory on the road.

It was a much needed revival after the Clifton pack, with Number Eight Josh Bayliss a focal point, took early charge and the home side swept into a ten point lead through a try from wing Will Pomphrey and a drop goal by Brad Barnes.  Losing Max Cantwell with an ankle injury robbed Canterbury of a physical presence but they hit back in the 27^th minute with a catch and drive score from prop Sam Kenny.  That progress was quickly wiped out as their weakness at restarts giftedClifton possession and centre Danny Wells punished them with a try on the overlap which Barnes converted.  For the city side, too easily stripped of possession and prone to scrum offences, the bad news wasn’t over.  Pomphrey’s second try shortly before the break left them a long way off the pace.

Then from the wreckage came the major repair job. A penalty goal by Tom Best two minutes into the second period was cancelled out by one from Barnes before Canterbury stood the game on it head and a win was clearly in their sights..

A scrum penalty, a forward rive drive and some quick hands set up Guy Hilton’s  54^th minute try and they headed closer promised land with a third touchdown.  Aiden Moss’s clever retrieval and kick from a rare Clifton attack set up the chance, an isolated defence was turned over and Best made the most of it by converting his own try.

The odds were now heavily in Canterbury’s favour as they controlled the last fifteen minutes but, frustratingly, came to nothing. The chances were created but crucial passes were judged to be forward and flaky hands at important moments let them down. Clifton somehow hung on to leave the visitors with only a losing bonus point for their efforts.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, JJ.Murray, W.Farris, H.Sayers, M.Beaumont, T.Best (repl O.Best), A.Cooper (repl J.Green), T.Rogers, S.Kenny (repl A.Cooper), R.Cadman, T.Burns, S.Rogers, H.McCormick-Huston, M.Cantwell (repl T.Edwards)