The new year presented the Gannets with an opportunity to get back to winning ways on the road at Canterbury,a team that although they had previously defeated,they certainly didn't have things their own way.A close game was predicted but ultimately there was for two thirds of the game at least,only one team in it.
The Gannets certainly did themselves no favours in the opening 30 minutes or so as they missed tackles they normally would gobble up and spilled the ball forward when in promising attacking positions.Although having the edge up front,they were finding the Canterbury three quarters too hot to handle as the hosts raced to a 29-0 lead after only 30 minutes.The introduction of Dan 'sin bin' Grant at 10 seemed to do the trick despite his stomach threatening to explode at any moment ( surely that's always the case) from a hernia and a period of pressure on the Cants line saw Steve Wootton nip in and intercept a wayward pass to score under the sticks.
The Gannets celebrated that score like only they can..by allowing the oppo to run straight back at them and score but wait,what's this? It's only Harry Burnett sidestepping and beating several players to the line! I am of course talking cobblers as he simply bulldozed over from a metre or so out but hey,there was light at end of the tunnel.
Things were looking up early in the second as the Gannets kept their foot on the gas with the Paddyless pack,he was off seeing a man about a dag,marched their way towards the line.Mick Woodbine lost the ball in the act of scoring but shortly after Dan Grant was on hand to score or something and the arrears were reduced to 13.
Could the Gannets turn this around? Well no.Canterbury went back to doing what they did best,moving the ball around the backs and outpacing the Gees defence.To their credit,the visitors held on admirably with some last ditch defending but eventually they caved in and the floodgates once again opened.To be fair to Lloydy's comical kick for 'touch' which in fact went back infield under the posts to a Canterbury player when all he had to do was touch the bleedin' ball down,didn't make any difference.
And nor did Dan Grants 1200th yellow card of his career for being a silly boy.The Gannets were out of ideas,out on their feet and could have no complaints about todays tonking.The final whistle went,the Gees shook hands with a thoroughly nice bunch of fellas and made their way to the showers where Dan Grant (who is getting far too many mentions today if i'm honest) hit us with the revelation that his arsehole is in fact a gateway to Narnia.
You really had to have been there.
Until next time...