Kent had to survive a late challenge before completing victory in the opening round of the County Championship’s Bill Beaumont Cup at Canterbury’s Marin Travel Ground.

Two tries in the space of a minute by North Midlands reduced a comfortable lead to a precarious ten points to put the visitors back into serious contention.

It needed a 75th minute try, Kent’s seventh of the afternoon, to re-establish their grip on a game which they controlled for significant periods but did not make best use of their chances.

Given a decent platform by a dominant scrum the county took an early lead with a try from prop Terry Read, converted by James Cameron, but a lack of accuracy cost them further scores and it wasn’t until late in the first half that they got some reward.

North Midlands, despite a sortage of possession, were always sharp on the counter and were on level terms, thanks to a converted try by wing Tom Hunt, until three minutes from the break. Tries by Harry Sayers and Kwaku Asiedu, plus a Cameron conversion, then stretched Kent’s lead to 19-7 and they threatened to run away with the game early in the second half

The visitors, handicapped by their second yellow card, saw Cameron’s break set up a try for JJ Murray and Asiedu followed that by grabbing his second. Slack defensive work allowed Cameron Tawfik to repair some of the damage for North Midlands before Aiden Moss moved Kent back into the comfort zone with his side’s sixth try.

If Kent felt the job was done they were made to think again as the visitors shredded their defence in the 71st and 72nd minutes to put themselves back into serious contention.

Tries for Ashley Elvers and a second from Hunt, together with Rod Pettit’s flawless goal kicking, brought a major shift in impetus.

Kent, however, reacted well to the threat and JJ Murray’s second touchdown, and Cameron’s fourth successful conversion, saw them home.

Kent: A.Moss (Canterbury), K.Asiedu (Hartpury College), H.Sayers (Canterbury), D.Bonner (Westcombe Park, D.Hamilton (Blackheath), J.Cameron (Westcombe Park),C.Edwards (Old Elthamians), J.Green (Canterbury), J.Bonner (Westcombe Park), T.Read (Blackheath), L.Bellinger (Westcombe Park), R.Cadman (Canterbury), T.Scorgie (Old Elthamians), L.Covington (Westcombe Park), M.Cantwell (Canterbury).

Replacements: N.Wakefield (Canterbury), N.Porter (Westcombe Park),. R.White (Old Ekthamians), H.McCormick (Old Colfeians),, J.J.Murray (Tonbridge Juddians), T.Okenla (Gravesend)