Generosity is something to be admired but in rugby it gets you nowhere as Canterbury discovered in this narrow opening day league defeat.

A late interception try from Guy Hilton earned two bonus points to make sure the city club’s trip Bristol was not entirely wasted but they handed the initiative to Clifton too easily and too often.

Penalties and failure to look after their own possession cost them vital territory, points and ultimately the game. First half injuries to Brook Cowan and Martyn Beaumont did not help but for a side that headed the try count by four to three and still lost there are questions to be asked.

The city side started well but had nothing to show for it and the home side took the lead with their first visit to Canterbury’s half. Centre Lucas Slowik made the initial break before fly half James Mackay brought his runners into play and converted Dan Wells’ try.

The alert Mackay was heavily involved in a second score by full back Jack Hughes and after 20 minutes Canterbury found themselves twelve points behind, with work to do.

With a clear edge at the set scrums and a solid lineout they had the ammuntion and eventually put it to good use . An organised and powerful lineout catch and drive was rounded off by a Cowan try, Hilton converted and the city side seemed to be back in business..

Instead, a mistake at the restart undid the good work and when Clifton got in range they were only repelled at the cost of a penalty and Mackay helped himself to three points.

By half time Cowan and Beaumont had left the scene, Clifton flanker Mike Barber was in the sin bin and the scoreline remained static with the city club eight points adrift.

They addressed that problem emphatically four minutes into the second half to make Clifton pay for Barber’s continuted absence. Pressure built and Hilton’s classic show and go ended with him scoring behind the posts and tacking on the goal points.

With only a point between the sides Canterbury were in a position to capitalise but errors, turnovers and indecision stalled their progress. A yellow card for Sam Rogers as Clifton piled into attack, plus two more penalty goals from Mackay swung the pendulum.

They survived ten minutes of playing shorthanded and the backs, who too freqently shuffled the ball sideways to no great purpose, redeemed themselves with a third try. The hard Running Connor Wallace-Sims put his side on the front foot and there was plenty of forward involvement too before good handling sent right wing Aiden Moss over at the corner.

The game was again back in the melting pot but the penalties that haunted Canterbury did for them. It gave Clifton the chance of a catch and drive Gavin Curry score and Mackay’s conversion opened an important nine point gap.

It was late in the day when Hilton’s interception and length of field run brought a glimmer of hope but Canterbury had to settle for the minor rewards against a Clifton siide whose greater disicipline helped them edge the verdict.

Canterbury: O.Best, A.Moss, M.Beaumont (repl C.Horey), A.Veale, C.Wallace-Sims, G.Hilton, D.Smart (repl T.Wathey), R.McLeod (repl S.Kenny), S.Rogers, A.Wake-Smith, R.Cadman, T.Burns (repl B.Massey), T.Sherson, B.Cowan (repl N.Wakefield), G.Micans