Two stunning tries from wing Aiden Moss were the highlights of a tense, tough battle which saw Canterbury extend their winning run to six games.
Head Coach Andy Pratt predicted that this would be the one of the most difficult tests his side had faced so far in National 2 South and he wasn’t wrong.
Thanks to those first half moments of magic and their domination of the late stages of the game the city side were able to resist the powerful Redruth challenge.
Moss may have lit up the afternoon for the season’s biggest crowd but each time he scored, in the 6th and 38th minutes, it drew a response from the Cornishmen.
Tries by Nielson Webber and Connor Gilbert kept the game on a tightrope and set the scene for an attritional second half in which the only scores came from penalty goals.
The Moss tries were collectors pieces for those who value pace and elusiveness. A stolen lineout and a sweet pass from Tom Best set up the first score. Moss got the ball on half way, left a defender grasping at air and sprinted home.
Redruth hit back through a quickly taken penalty and Webber’s try and then edged into the lead with a penalty goal from Ashley Hoskings.
Ollie Best brought Canterbury level with a similar three points and was the man who provided the pass that put Moss into the space he relishes after coming off his wing.
A swerve, a clever line taken and a press on the accelerator did the rest. Ollie Best converted but with the half almost over Redruth flanker Ben Priddey blasted through a hole and the ball was spun wide for Gilbert to touch down.
That left Canterbury with a two-point advantage, the breeze behind them and with their back division carrying a threat they should have been confident.
But it didn’t work out. Despite losing Sam Matevesi to a yellow card for a high tackle Redruth took command of the third quarter and denied the city men the space they craved.
Solid defensive work which forced mistakes at key times kept Canterbury’s line intact but the attacking potential they showed earlier dried up.
Redruth slipped back into the lead with Hoskings’ second penalty goal before the city side finally managed get the upper hand.
They won territory and penalties and five minutes from the end Ollie Best booted them back in front.
They cranked up the pressure even further but, frustratingly, could not convert it into points, despite the visitors Shaun Buzza collecting a yellow card.
They had done enough, however, to keep the winning run on track..
Canterbury: C.Kingsman, A.Moss, W.Farris, T.Best (repl J.J Murray), K.Thompson, O.Best, D.Smart (repl K.Braithwaite), A.Cooper (repl J.Green),T.Rogers, S.Kenny, R.Cadman, M.Corker, S.Rogers (repl J.Rigby), S.Clark, M.Cantwell.
Pictures supplied by Phillipa Hilton.