@Lesley62 I'm several countries where it operates, including the UK, Airbnb is required by consumer protection law to allow reviews from guests who cancel on or after the check-in date. This is mostly to prevent bait-and-switch schemes from hiding behind a fake reputation, but it's also a nuisance for reputable hosts whose guests failed to read the listing properly.
I don't see a good case to have the review removed, but it might still be possible to edit your response. As a guest, I would not feel reassured by a host asserting that critical feedback must be wrong because prior reviews have been positive. I'd be likelier to book if the host gracefully corrected any inaccuracies, put the review into context (e.g. guest was not a good fit for the home and decided not to stay), and perhaps even acknowledged the details that guests of some persuasions might feel are shortcomings.
This situation isn't 100% preventable, but the pre-booking correspondence is the best chance to make sure the guest has the right expectations. Also, you are free to override your cancelation policy any time a greater refund resolves an issue, though no amount of money can prevent a negative review if the guest feels like leaving one.