Canterbury failed to earn a fourth straight win in National 2 South and were dragged back towards the relegation zone after a narrow loss at struggling Shelford.

The city club spurned a host of opportunities to get on the scoresheet in boggy conditions at a Cambridgeshire ground at which they had never won, but they were shut-out for the first time this season and went down 8-0.

The visitors’ forwards were on top in the first half but could not turn their dominance and territory into points, with the hosts improving after the break, as the conditions worsened, and were rewarded with the game’s only try.

In the opening 40 minutes Canterbury dominated the set-pieces and forced a number of penalties, setting-up three inviting catch-and-drive opportunities which they could not convert.

The visitors were themselves penalised twice for holding on within a metre of the line as they came up against stubborn defence, and they actually went into the break 3-0 down after Ed Gough notched a penalty on a rare foray into Canterbury territory.

Canterbury battled on after the interval and Martyn Beaumont saw a try disallowed after being adjudged to have been infront of the kicker when Tom Best kicked through for him to touch down.

The decisive score came on 50 minutes when Ricky MacIver collected from a scrum 25 metres out before arching to the left and dashing to the line.

As conditions worsened Charlie Harding missed a penalty while Beaumont and Connor Wallace-Sims were beaten to a long hack forward by a defender in Canterbury’s final chance of the game.

Andy Pratt's side are two places above the drop-zone with a six-point cushion, though the two sides below them have a game in hand.