Esher show their mettle against National 1 opposition

​From The Rugby Paper

Canterbury 17-28 Esher

Esher, replaced in National One by Canterbury for next season, got the measure of National Two South playoff winners Canterbury in an intriguing match.

Will Scholes made the breakthrough for Canterbury after neither side found a way through during the first ten minutes, benefitting from some neat work by Sam Sterling at the breakdown to be sent clear for the try.

Esher then restored parity with a penalty try enforced by a deliberate knock-on by Kyan Braithwaite, who was sent to the sin bin for his indiscretion.

The visitors were celebrating another try soon after through Lorcan Dow and then again by Gus Lock as Esher opened up a 21-7 lead.

Canterbury got back into the match when an Esher player was shown a yellow card on 52 minutes and prop Frank Morgan followed up a strong shunt at the scrum to power over.

However Sam Druce pounced on a spilled ball late on to seal the win for Esher.