MICHAEL Guess bagged a brace of tries to help Southend continue their fine start to the season with a 34-27 victory against Canterbury at Warners Bridge on Saturday.

The prop forward touched down twice to help the Seasiders come out on top.

But he was not keen to add a third.

“If you score a hat-trick you have to buy everyone a drink, so I was helping others get over the line in the end,” laughed Guess.

“It was a good performance and a mature one as well.

“I think last season we probably would’ve lost a game like that, so to come out on top was very pleasing indeed.”

The victory also handed Southend their third win in the first four games of the season.

And that is also an improvement on last term when the Seasiders triumphed just three times in their first 16 games.

“If someone had offered us three wins from our first four games we would’ve bitten their hands off,” said Guess.

“I think we already have more points than we did at Christmas last year, so we’re pleased with the progress we’re making and want to keep that going now.”

Guess sent Southend on their way on Saturday with the game’s opening try and Chris Vaughan touched down shortly after.

Vaughan also added the conversion before winger Danny Cleare sped through for his first try of the season to make it 17-0.

Canterbury hit back with winger Ricky MacKintosh rounding the defence to score in the corner but the Seasiders responded with Guess scoring his second of the afternoon.

Mark Billings added the extras to make it 24-5 but MacKintosh soon scored for the visitors again to cut Southend’s lead to 24-10 at half-time.

The Kent club also bagged the first points of the second half with flanker Rob Lennox touching down before he was yellow-carded after conceding a couple of penalties.

Down to 14 men, Canterbury were unable to stop Southend skipper James Kellard charging through after yet another forward drive to make it 29-15.

But, following Lennox’s return, the visitors scored two tries in five minutes with Martyn Beaumont and Brooke Cowen touching down.

Tom Best converted one of the tries to cut Southend’s lead to 29-27 but a last-minute try from Billings made sure of another win for the Seasiders.