Lydney 18 Canterbury 0

THE traditional fire and commitment of cup occasions was oddly missing from this second round EDF National Trophy game in which Lydney emerged the better of two ordinary sides.

Canterbury, their focus primarily on league success, made nine changes from the previous week’s line-up which went some way to explaining a low key performance.

Two weeks ago the city club relieved Lydney of their unbeaten home league record in Gloucestershire but this time round, despite claiming a fair share of territory, they were disappointingly toothless.

The home side had enough experience and forward power to earn them victory and a little recompense for the earlier 36-20 defeat. They possessed a number of forthright ball carriers which Canterbury, with the exception of the magnificent Neil Meyer, did not.

After leading by five points at half-time, Lydney effectively sealed the game by scoring 13 points in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Canterbury’s debutant fly-half James Birnage hit the cross bar with a first half penalty but that was as close as the visitors came to scoring.

More Canterbury rugby in this week's Kentish Gazette