Canterbury 24 Dings Crusaders 8: Dings Crusaders hopes of claiming their best National Division Three South finish were virtually dashed in the first half of this defeat at Canterbury.

The Lockleaze-based side finished sixth last season, and also in 2003-04, but Canterbury had wrapped up the spoils after clinching a try bonus point on 35 minutes.

Dings have one match left this campaign, away to sixth-from-bottom Rugby Lions on Saturday, but are now five points adrift of fifth-placed Canterbury.

Chairman Steve Lloyd said: "We didn't play very well in the first half and we made quite a few mistakes in terms of decision making. It is one of those things. We won the second half. We got better. Now we have a chance to put things right at Rugby Lions."

Yet Dings' chances of claiming victory No 13 this season were all but over in the first 40 minutes in Kent.

Canterbury made good use of the strong wind, which was in their favour during the opening half.

The hosts took the lead on six minutes when scrum-half Luke Harding found a huge gap in the Dings defence to score under the posts. Gert de Kock added the extras.

Dings were back underneath their own posts on 20 minutes when centre Pat Sykes crossed following a neat break by fly-half Ben Thomas.

The visitors were opened up again three minutes later when Harding grabbed his second try of the afternoon, de Kock converting.

Dings secured a try from their first attack of the match, skipper Mike Panaho collecting his third try in two matches after some good handling. Yet the one-way traffic resumed shortly after when wing Andy Pratt crossed for Canterbury's all-important fourth try five minutes before the break.

Dings did win the second half 3-0 thanks to a penalty from full-back Adam Westall but Canterbury held out for a win that virtually clinches them fifth place.