Lost 0-3
MoM: Kevin Pang
With thanks to team sponsor MFri
Always going to be a toughie against a team top of the league and unbeaten this season; and in a nutshell so it remained.
A pre push-back huddle – unknown for the Friars – had a touch of the Dunkirk spirit about it but at least reminded us that we were Canterbury (rather than Southgate as one of our band where he used to play long ago seemed to think we were last week) though in his defence we did play in red last week! But Friars dug deep and there was a lot of effort from all with Kai Griffin, Kevin Pang, Will Cook (on debut) and Angus Solley – the latter the youngest of our team who certainly did a lot of running. Friars defence of Barton, Philpott and Ricketts all put in tough shifts and Trigger was excellent in goal with so many low hard kicks that saved numerous goals.
And whilst for most of the first half Friars stood firm and tall once Gravesham scored their first goal it looked and felt a bit of a struggle. No short corners or indeed really decisive shots on goal which probably said it all.
The second half was similar though Kevin Pang our Hong Kong visitor never stopped chasing and he deservedly got Man of The Match.
James Blackburn and Bert ‘The Bullet’ Andrews also put in the hard yards whilst Hurlow and Hayward felt their age but no one in the team gave up!
Gravesham were better organised and played the ball round nicely and deserved their win and being top of the table.
And so at the season’s break Friars stand 7th out of 12 in Invicta League 7 but only 5 points off bottom of the table which is shaping up to be a bun fight so wins will be needed early in 2025.
Happy Christmas all and thanks to our umpires home and away and the ever cheerful Canterbury Tea Ladies.