Canterbury allowed a comprehensive lead against unbeaten National 2 South leaders Henley Hawks to slip to an agonising defeat at Merton Lane on Saturday.

The city club had built a 26-point lead in the first half, but two yellow cards either side of half-time gave the visitors a way back into the game with Henley scoring 18 points in the 20 minutes they faced 14 men.

The hosts produced a blistering first half hour, going ahead when Tom Best - who had earlier missed a penalty - burst onto Alex Veale’s pass to race through under the posts.

Mason Rosvall then chased down a clearance kick from Ollie Best, beating his opposite number to the ball before dashing half the length of the field to score in the corner.

Flanker Ryan Ward added the next two scores, the first after a catch and drive with the second a pacey score after a blindside break from a powerful maul.

Best added three conversions to give Canterbury a comprehensive lead, but a second-half penalty, after the Henley fightback had begun, were to be the only city club points of the second half.

Matt Payne began the fightback with a catch and drive try before Ward was the first Canterbury man sent to the sin-bin with Ed Yarnton adding a penalty.

After the turnaround wing Xavier Andre added a score on the overlap, converted by Yarnton, to reduce the lead to 11.

Scrum half Dan Smart then saw yellow for a punch and a penalty and a catch and drive try from Dave Clements closed the gap further.

A second overlap try from Andre continued the momentum and a fifth try from Tom Hall completed the comeback late-on and made it one win in seven for the city club, who sit 12th in the table.