Canterbury 27 Redingensians Rams 23
An injury time try from Robbie Stapley grabbed a losing bonus point for Rams in this National 2 South relegation clash in Kent.
The damage had been done to the visitors’ cause during the first half when they failed to profit from a fierce wind in their favour.
Gary Reynolds, the Rams CEO, admitted: “The difference between the two teams was that Canterbury used the elements better than us. I’m afraid it’s part of the learning process for our young side.”
Although they improved in the second half, it always seemed that a 10-10 interval would never be enough to secure victory.
In one of their least impressive first 40 minutes of the season, Rams gave away a string of penalties, missed tackles and took wrong options.
Their defence was opened up after 12 minutes when Harry Sayers crossed for Tom Best to add the extras.
Then Luke Flower and Best exchanged penalties midway through the half before Canterbury’s Jim Green was sin-binned for a mauling offence.
Rams immediately took advantage with a pushover try from Tom Vooght, improved by Flower.
However their post interval bogey struck yet again as they conceded a 42nd minute try when missed tackles allowed centre Will Farris to crash over.
A Best penalty for offside advanced Canterbury’s lead to 18-10, but Rams responded with a backs move to which George Drury put the finishing touches.
Then a fourth Best kick was cancelled out by Flower but Gensians found yet another way to transgress – on this occasion crossing – to give Best another opportunity.
With time running out, full-back Ollie Foxley produced a mazy run to set up a platform for Rams to pound the Kent side’s line before Stapley forced his way over.
So despite outscoring the home side three tries to two, they suffered a defeat which plunges them back in the relegation red zone.
Rams: Foxley; McDermottroe, Bryant, Barnes,Drury, Flower, Hill; Weller, Henderson, Baker, Taylor, Kerschbaumer, Guttridge, Vooght, Stapley. Reps: Knowles, Steadman, Kharbouch, Amor, Richardson.