By David Haigh

Canterbury ended a run of three defeats with a 41-12 National League 2 East thrashing of North Walsham.

Four of their six tries were scored by the forwards and it was the collective power of the scrum that won them the fifth through a penalty try.

After a tight first half, basement side Vikings got a mauling as they struggled with Canterbury's catch and drive and domination of the set-pieces. They got an early warning eight minutes into the game when Nathan Morris registered the first of his two tries and Frank Reynolds converted.

Walsham, however, on the back of a good victory over Henley the previous week, were soon testing everyone in a black and amber shirt with their all-out attacking style. They worked a good try for scrum-half Connor Dudley after finding space on the right and continued to keep Canterbury on their toes.

Reynolds slotted a penalty goal to give his side a five point lead at the break but only after Vikings full-back Benjy Hewitt had been held up over the line. On the resumption the momentum shifted dramatically to Canterbury - the pack needing only two minutes to send lock Shay Kerry over.

Any doubts about where this game was going were then put to rest as they scored twice in as many minutes. With the Vikings in full retreat, a collapsed scrum cost them the penalty try and, next, a fine break by No.8 Jamie Stephens was capped with an athletic finish by Jessie De Vries.

On the hour mark the productive catch and drive provided Morris with his 15th try of the season, leaving Reynolds to kick his third conversion, and the backs finally got among the scorers seven minutes from the end as wing Garry Jones put in a strong effort at the corner. For the out-muscled Vikings came the consolation of a last-minute touchdown by Tawanda Kandemwa and a good conversion from Ross Magnus.

The win sees Canterbury seventh ahead of Saturday’s home game with Guernsey (2pm).

Canterbury: Waddington, Jones, Morgan, Best (Law), Orris, Reynolds, Farrance (Cooper), Lusher (Huntley), Morris (Mackenzie), Herriott, Kerry, De Vries, Murray (Evans), O'Donoghue, Stephens.