Two tries conceded in the last ten minutes ended Canterbury’s unbeaten pre-season run but this was another day when a young city club squad came away with credit in the bank.

Until tiring legs undermined them in those closing stages they were seriously competitive and, once again, showed that opponents from a higher National division hold no terrors.

Albanians, who had the better of possession and territory in the second half, must have been relieved to have found those late finishing touches because for long periods Canterbury held the edge.

After taking a quick lead, when a missed tackle handed them an easy converted try, the home side arrived at the 70th minute of the match still trailing by five points.

The city side shrugged off the early set back in impressive style to score three first half tries and in the second period kept Albanians at bay with excellent defensive organisation.

The Hertfordshire club might point to their own inaccuracies as they failed to find a way through but Canterbury’s determination and pressure had something to do with that.

In the first half they seized the momentum thanks to a pack which again gave a good account of itself with skipper Tom Sherson and his back row setting a stirring example. Outside them, a back line with an experimental look was nimble and alert to opportunities with Connor Wallace Sims particularly keeping the defenders on their toes.

Canterbury’s first try came after they probed on both flanks before a wrap round pass opened up a gap for fly half Guy Hilton who does not miss chances like that.

A turnover and another missed tackle then cost the city club a second converted score but the rest of the half was clearly theirs.
A driving maul rumbled and rolled 20 metres before Brook Cowan claimed the touchdown and, before the break, a cleverly weighted kick from Ollie Best was pouched by Aiden Moss. Hilton’s two conversions kept his side five points ahead.

The inevitable surge of replacements in pre-season friendlies duly came and Albanians were the ones to benefit most. The pressure they brought to bear was still contained by a committed Canterbury but took its toll.

Close quarter power and a well worked overlap brought tries which earned them the victory and while in the end the scoreline did not lie it also failed to adequately reflect Canterbury’s efforts.

Canterbury Squad: O.Best, M.Tonry-Brown, A.Veale, A.Moss, C.Wallace-Sims, C.Horey, G.Hilton, D.Smart, T.Wathey, R.McLeod, S.Rogers, A.Wake-Smith, S.Kenny, N.Wakefield, C.Townley, R.Cadman, T.Burns, R.Corr, T.Sherson, B.Cowan, G.Micans, F.Tonry-Brown.