Deal & Betteshanger started the game strongly, securing an early lineout deep in Canterbury’s 5-metre territory. From the resulting play, Aston Armstrong powered over in the corner, giving Deal an early lead within the first minute.

Canterbury responded swiftly. A quickly taken penalty inside Deal’s 22 caught the defence off guard, allowing one of their powerful forwards to charge through and level the score.

The first half saw Canterbury dominate possession, but Deal’s defensive resilience was outstanding. Time and again, Canterbury’s attacks were met with strong tackling, and any handling errors were quickly punished.

Deal struck next through a brilliant break from Aston Armstrong after sustained pressure forced Canterbury back into their own half.

From the Canterbury restart, a well-placed kick return led to a crucial turnover deep in Canterbury’s territory. On his debut, Hamish Cranmer showed great strength to power through the defence and score his first try for Deal & Betteshanger.

The pattern continued: Canterbury held possession, but Deal capitalised on their chances with clinical counter-attacks. Another powerful break from Hamish was well supported by Jonathan Mattison, who crossed for his first try of the match.

Shortly after, Sam Kenicer gathered the ball from a breakdown inside Deal’s half. With quick footwork, he weaved through Canterbury’s defence and sprinted clear to touch down under the posts. Stanley Richards slotted the conversion to round off a strong first-half display.

The second half followed a similar script, with Deal continuing to take their chances effectively. Aston, Hamish, and Jonathan each added to their tallies, while Hamish showcased his kicking ability with two difficult conversions.

Edward Kent produced a moment of magic, collecting the ball deep inside his own 5-metre line before racing the length of the field for a superb solo try. Logan Campling and Matthew Cocker both stepped up with pinpoint conversions.

Canterbury managed to pull one back from another quick penalty, converting successfully. However, Deal had the final say, as Hamish broke through once more, with Matthew Cocker in support to touch down for the last try of the match. Jack Prior added the extras to seal the victory.

A strong all-round performance from Deal & Betteshanger, which will give the squad a real confidence boost. There were plenty of positives, including an impressive debut from Hamish Cranmer, but also areas to work on as the team prepares for a challenging run of fixtures.

Man of the Match: Hamish Cranmer

Scorers
Tries: Aston Armstrong (3), Hamish Cranmer (2), Jonathan Mattison (2), Sam Kenicer, Edward Kent, Matthew Cocker
Conversions: Hamish Cranmer (2), Brandon Ashington, Stanley Richards, Logan Campling, Matthew Cocker, Jack Prior