The tries flowed, the result went Henley’s way by the barest of margins and Canterbury showed huge resilience to snatch two valuable league points from the final play of the match. 

Henley’s late score threatened to rob the city of anything and that would have been a serious injustice in game that was always in the balance.

But as the clock ticked into the eighty minute zone they launched one last offensive and Harvey Furneaux put in the essential finishing burst for his second try of the afternoon.

Canterbury’s biggest regret will be their failure to put away their first half chances when their scrum was on top and they spent plenty of time on the front foot.  

A poor start saw them concede a try in the first minute as Hawk’s Guy Rawsthorne completed Alex Hayton’s break and it was the hosts greater ability to finish the job that earned them a 17-8 lead by the break. 

A Frank Reynolds penalty goal, won by the front row, put Canterbury on the scoreboard but five minute later Hawks hit them with a catch and drive  touchdown from Tom Emery. 

The city side’s lack of accuracy frustrated them although was plenty to admire about the one try they did manage. With the ball swept wide Will Hilton was on Garry Jones’ shoulder to take his pass and make the score.

Hawks matched that after Ryan Crowley’s chip kick led to some clever angles and handling for Rawsthorn’s second touchdown, converted by Max Titchener. 

Then came a second half that underlined that you cannot afford to pass up those earlier opportunities in this tough National 2 East division.

Canterbury started well with a Furneaux try in the first minute, went on to capture the lead twice and outscored Henley overall.

It was not quite enough. The accuracy of Reynolds boot was an important feature, with two further penalty goals and three conversions, starting with the Furneaux score.

But in a fascinating contest Hawks were always a danger. Crowley slid a kick behind the visiting defence and won the race for the touchdown before Will Waddington hit the line hard for a converted try which edged Canterbury into the lead for the first time. 

George Wood’s corner flag try and Titchener’s conversion rubbed that out before Reynolds’ final penalty goal, on 68 minutes, made it a one-point game. 

It was Dave Manning’s late try for Henley and Mitchener’s conversion that seemed to have wrecked Canterbury’s afternoon, but this side now has a bit of old fashioned ‘bottle’ and it deservedly rescued them here.

Canterbury; W.Hilton (repl T.Best), G.Jones (repl P.Farrance), F. Morgan, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance (repl B.Cooper), C.Macmillan (repl D.Huntley), E.O.Donoghue (repl N.Morris,), W.Lusher, W.Hunt (repl T.Mackenzie), J.De Vries, C.Murray, H.Furneaux, J.Stephens.

Pictures supplied by Phillipa Hilton.