By David Haigh

Error-prone Canterbury failed to live up to their early promise at Westcombe Park, losing their National League 2 East match 27-14.

A nine-point half-time lead vanished in a rising count of mistakes and turnovers as the hosts picked their visitors off with three unanswered tries.

The city side went into the game weakened by injuries and the hosts made the most of it, targeting key areas to telling effect after the break, but that was no excuse for the drop off in judgement and physicality.

That poor 40 minutes was in contrast to the team who controlled much of the first half. Canterbury’s early attacks brought a yellow card for Park’s Sam Fombo and an immediate catch-and-drive try by Nathan Morris.

That score was countered by an unconverted effort from Taine Wagstaff, but it was the city side who were playing with greater confidence and they marked it with another classy seven points.

Swift handling and a delayed pass opened the gap for Eoin O'Donoghue to score between the posts and Frank Reynolds' second conversion was easy. Further points proved more elusive as Canterbury failed to capitalise on close-quarter mauls and opted to ignore kickable penalty chances, but at the end of the half they could look back on a decent body of work.

When they came out for the second period, however, their memory failed them. A yellow card for replacement Alfie Orris gave Westcombe their first chance through a catch-and-drive try for Harry Hudson, converted by Nathan Wyman, and they never looked back.

Winning all the important clashes and seizing on a now-muted Canterbury's errors, they were gifted a third try, scored by Mark Muhamman courtesy of some awful defending.

Stripped of possession the city side were a shadow of their earlier selves. Wyman's conversion and a 71st-minute penalty goal moved his side eight points ahead and a lost lineout helped Combe to claim a bonus point from the last play of the game through wing Joe Ratcliff's try.

Canterbury, eighth in the standings, have the weekend off and return to action at home to bottom side North Walsham on March 9 (3pm).

Canterbury: Waddington, Jones, Morgan, Best, Law, Reynolds, Farrance, Lusher, Morris, Herriott, Stephens, Murray, Mackenzie, O'Donoghue, Evans. Replacements: Williams, Hunt, Orris, Furneaux, Malik.