On Saturday Canterbury hosted North Walsham Vikings rugby club who needed one league point to avoid relegation.

From kick off the Vikings drove to the Canterbury line where Ollie Coates scored and Matt Hodgson converted.

From the restart M Hodgson cleared from his own 22 but, showing the strength of the wind, it went the length of the field dead for a scrum back in the Vikings 22.

Canterbury then exerted a lot of forward pressure and scored an unconverted try, 5-7 after five minutes.

In the next quarter of an hour the jubilant Vikings ran in another three tries securing the try bonus point and League 2 rugby next season.

Ethan Holmwood after twelve minutes, Frank Scott after sixteen minutes and Ryan Oakes after twenty three minutes were the scorers.

All converted by M Hodgson, the score stood at 5-28 after 23 minutes.

Sean Blyth added the fifth try to make it 5-33 on thirty minutes.

Stung into action Canterbury responded. On thirty two minutes a Vikings 5m penalty conceded a converted try. Just on half time Canterbury scored a third try making it 19-33 as the half ended.

The second half began with a Canterbury 50-22 clearance lineout. From 15m out Canterbury caught and drove for a converted try, 26-33.

On forty six minutes Canterbury drove over to make it 33-33. On sixty minutes Canterbury drove over again making it 40-33. The Vikings responded quickly with an unconverted Jim Riley try, 40-38.

Canterbury scored two further tries on eighty and eighty four minutes.

The game ended as a 52-38 victory for Canterbury.

At the end Vikings chairman Ian Fox said: "It was an entertaining game. We played champagne rugby to the end, secured League 2 rugby at Scottow Park for next season, and though we did not win the match our play won the hearts of the crowd."