Won 6-5
Scorers: Kortlang, Abbott * 2, White * 3
MoM: George White
DoD: Christian Kortlang (New Shoes Required)
With thanks to team sponsor MPil http://www.ideaworks.co.uk
Canterbury Pilgrims produced a remarkable comeback victory over Old Williamsonians (OW), overturning a three‑goal deficit to claim a dramatic 6–5 win in a match packed with momentum swings, adversity, & a breathtaking finale.
OW struck early & clinically, racing into a commanding 3–0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes & leaving Canterbury with a mountain to climb.
The fightback began in the 20th minute when Christian Kortlang fired home to get Canterbury on the scoreboard. OW responded with a fourth goal, but Canterbury hit back just before the break. A superb cross‑field aerial from Stewart Keir found Kortlang in space on the right wing, who squared the ball across goal for Morgan Abbott to deflect home at the far post, making it 4–1 at half‑time. The goal injected belief into the side, & the momentum began to swing.
Abbott struck again in the 40th minute, finishing calmly to bring Canterbury back within one and reignite the contest.
However, at 3–4, Canterbury suffered a major setback when Keir took a ball to the face & was forced to leave the field for a hospital visit, leaving the Pilgrims with a bare 11 players for the remainder of the match.
With the game finely balanced, George White stepped up in the 55th minute, driving home a well‑taken low slap hit to level the score at 4–4.
OW hit back almost immediately, regaining the lead to make it 4–5, but Canterbury refused to fold.
White struck again from a top‑left drag‑flick penalty corner in the 60th minute to make it 5–5, before completing his hat-trick just five minutes later with another low left‑side penalty corner. The final flick, driven bottom left through a hailstorm, sealed a remarkable comeback & sent Canterbury into the lead for the first time.
As the whistle blew, OW were left stunned by the turnaround, while Canterbury celebrated one of the most dramatic wins of their season.
A match that began with Canterbury on the ropes ended in unforgettable fashion. A testament to resilience & belief.