Discipline costs Henley Hawks dear on the road

AS has been the case too often this season, poor discipline at crucial moments was the Hawks’ downfall on Saturday, as Canterbury took the spoils at the Marine Travel Ground.

It was a committed display by Luke Allen’s side against one of the best sides in the league and they could well have snatched a draw late on, but the cold hard reality is that it’s yet another losing bonus point for the Hawks, who remain second from bottom — three points adrift of Sevenoaks who sit above them in the Division 2 East table.

It was the home side who were quickest out of the blocks and took the lead with just three minutes on the clock when powerful number eight Tyler Oliver crashed over from close range following a driving maul. Frank Reynolds converted to put Canterbury 7-0 ahead.

Despite the early setback, Henley were working hard and slowly got a foothold in the game when captain Spencer Hayhow peeled off the back of a driving maul to score 10 minutes later with Max Titchener adding the extras to make it 7-7.

The remainder of the half became a scrappy affair with both sides guilty of poor handling in the greasy conditions. However, with Hawks flanker Zack Taylor in the sin bin, the home side took advantage when centre Harry Sloan finished well following patient build-up play. Reynolds converted and the home side were back in front at 14-7.

To their credit, the Hawks defence worked hard with the numerical disadvantage to keep it to just one score in it at the break. The hosts had several chances to extend their lead, but wing Luke Talbot was held up over the line, and good cover defence stopped what looked like a certain score in the corner.

The second half started just like the first with Canterbury in the ascendency, and with Hawks wing Oscar Busby the second Henley player to find himself in the sin bin, they were rewarded with their third score of the game when flanker Ryley Thomas powered his way over from close range. Reynolds converted and the home side were now 21-7 ahead.

However, despite the latest setback, Henley continued to fight hard and when centre Callum Jones crashed over the whitewash just a few minutes later, it pulled the Hawks back into the contest at 21-14 with Titchener slotting the conversion.

The ebb and flow contest continued, and it was Canterbury who re-established their 14 point advantage heading into the last quarter, when scrum half Presley Farrance spotted a gap in the Hawks defensive line to dot down. With Reynolds continuing his faultless afternoon from the tee, it felt like this was the final nail in the Henley coffin.

But back the Hawks came, and with Oliver in the sin bin, the visitors took advantage when Hayhow grabbed his second of the game following another well-worked driving maul. And with Titchener’s conversion sailing through the uprights, it meant that Henley were on the front foot heading into the final 10 minutes.

However, despite a late penalty which would have given the Hawks a line-out deep in the Canterbury 22 in injury time, Reynolds did brilliantly to keep Titchener’s kick in play and he managed to gather the loose ball and kick it into touch to signal the end of the contest.

It was disappointment for Henley, but with both Leo Webb and Morgan Macrae last minute absentees due to injury, the Hawks performed admirably despite the setback.

Henley Hawks: 15 Wood, 14 Scott, 13 Jones, 12 Leach, 11 Busby, 10 Titchener, 9 O White, 1 Bailey, 2 Hayhow, 3 Adablah, 4 Elsey, 5 Goodison, 6 Taylor, 7 Noone, 8. Lunnon . Replacements: 16 Kinniburgh, 17 Fakatou, 18 Basil, 19 Gordon, 20 S White.