The final dress-rehearsal before the National League season gets under way next Saturday, saw Blackheath trounce a Canterbury side, the Club amassing a total of seven tries without reply at the Utilita Well Hall on Friday night.
Twice in the opening quarter, as the Club pack motored towards the goal-line, hooker Archie Bourne peeled off to score, Ed Dunford, playing at full-back wobbling the upright with his first conversion attempt, before succeeding with the remainder in another fine kicking display.
Canterbury, who will travel to Barnes, the side who finished just one place above them in National League Two East last season, in their opening fixture, launched one gorgeous move down the right flank, thoroughly deserving of a score, but like so much of their play on the night ended in error.
Instead, Jordan Burns plundered a gap from the base of a ruck for 19-0, and with Sam Morley making his first showing at fly-half, Blackheath kept the hammer down, their only concern perhaps their penalty count which amounted to twelve in the opening period.
Canterbury piled the pressure on themselves with two forward passes early in the second period, Ben Charnock the chief beneficiary as the back-row crossed for a fourth try, and another drive off lineout ball saw replacement hooker Sam Westmacott over for number five.
Archie Holland piled over from a tap-and-go, and as if Canterbury’s night couldn’t get any worse, a red card followed by an interception try for former Harlequin centre Raff Hollister closed out the game.
Blackheath’s opening match in their 20025-26 National League One campaign sees them travel to newly-promoted Clifton next Saturday.
The Club’s first home fixture will be against Bishop’s Stortford at The Utilita on Saturday 13th September, and kick off for both matches is at 3.00 pm.
Blackheath
Tries: Bourne 5, 16, Burns 29, Charnock 49, Westmacott 65, Holland 72, Hollister 78
Conv: Dunford 16, 29, 49, 65, 72, 78
On Thursday evening the Club XV snatched victory in a much tighter Kent derby, as they beat Medway 26-19.
A brace from Charlie Briers was matched by two converted scores from the visitors to leave the match tied at 14-apiece at the break, and although Lawrence Ticehurst went across in the corner after the re-start, Medway gained parity once more through their stronger pack.
Shorn of their first-choice locks due to late withdrawals, the Club XV struggled to get their lineout functioning, failing to capitalise on their pressure, until the dying moments saw Ben Charnock across for the winning score.
Graham Cox
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