Dover welcomed National league Canterburys' 2nd XV to crabble on saturday for what promised to be a keenly contested affair.
Dover won the toss and elected to play up the slope in the first half. Dover took to the field full of passion and desire after rousing words from the coach/captain combo of Ambrose and Gill. The opening minutes were a blur as both sides looked to play open expansive rugby, Dover looking sharp with the offload game and Canterbury looking to attack through their dangerous backline at every oppurtunity. Dover put the first points of the day on the board from the boot of Phillips. Canterbury infrindged at a ruck just inside the Dover half and Phillips notched the kick from 55 meters to give Dover a 3-0 lead. Dover were starting to assert their dominance in the scrum and lineout, the impressive front row of Stanley, Savage and Lucas winning no less than 5 scrummages against the head on the day, and the returning May and Hayden Annakie proving disruptive at the lineout. On 20 minutes Dover won a penalty and kicked for the Corner deep in to the Canterbury 22. The Lineout was secured and No.8 Haywood scored after a well constructed driving maul for an unconverted try. 8-0 Dover. Canterbury Hit back on Half Hour after Dover Fell asleep in defence and allowed Canterburys' fleet footed 12 to run 25 meters before a last gasp tackle from May and Dean stopped him at the line, only for Canterbury Prop Lee Jeffrey to pick up and dive over from close range for converted try. 8-7 Dover. The remainder of the Half was a case of defences on top as both teams repelled each other to good effect, The Dover centre Pairing of Nathan Annakie and Conan Osbourne putting in an outstanding defensive display. HT Dover 8-7 Canterbury.

Dover started the 2nd half brightly and were being expertly steered around the pitch by Half backs Richards and Phillips, With the impressive pack giving them a solid platform. It was Dovers' forwards that produced the play of the game for the next score. Haywood took the ball on the pop from Richards and made a half break before offloading to the supporting Gill, the ball was moved on to the rampaging Hayden Annakie who took the ball on a further 10meters before drawing two tacklers and expertly offloading out of the tackle to The supporting Gill who scooped the ball off his laces at full tilt before swatting aside the fullback to score and give Dover a 13-7 lead. Dover Then lost prop Rick stanley to the sin bin for a high tackle and fought hard to cancel out Canterburys' advantage with Grayson and Gaughran particullarly to the fore. Canterbury began to try a different tactic and kicked for territory but found the Dover back three of Plews, Coughlan and Dean in fine form, all running and kicking the ball back to good effect, Plews worthy of special mention with an outrageous dummy kick that was bought by 3 canterbury defenders and was greeted with great applause from the sideline. Dover Weathered Stanleys' enforced rest period well and called on able re-inforcements in the form of Wheeler and Gaughran. Canterbury always looked dangerous from turnover ball and were testing Dovers' resolve at every oppurtunity. The next score came on 65mins from Gaughran who took advantage of Haywood and Stanleys' good work at disrupting the opposition lineout 5meters out to dot down in the corner to give Dover a 18-7 lead.
Canterbury Hit back almost immediately, the strong running of their capable backrow and some questionable Dover tackling led to them scoring out wide for a well constructed converted try 18-14 Dover. Gill gathered his team under the posts and stressed the need for composure and discipline. The response was instant as forwards and backs linked seemlessly in numerous flowing phases of play to put Canterbury on the back foot. Dover spurned two clear scoring chances late on with the referee calling the final passes forward, but Dovers' late pressure did eventually tell and Phillips was able to add a penalty on 77 minutes to give Dover a 21-14 Lead. Canterbury threw everthing at Dover in the closing minutes but were unable to breakthrough an impressive defense, Dover running out winners over an impressive Canterbury side with a deserved 21-14 victory.

Team; Lucas, Savage, Stanley, Grayson, Gill, H.Annakie, May, Haywood, Richards, Phillips, Plews, N.Annakie, Osbourne, Coughlan, Dean, Ambrose, Gaughran, Wheeler.