By
Rhys Chamberlain courtesy of the
Otago Daily Times.
Clyde-Earnscleugh handed competition leaders Arrowtown just
its second loss of the season in after an 18-7 victory at the Clyde Domain on
Saturday afternoon.
In a top of
the table clash, Arrowtown drew first blood as it dominated the first 30
minutes and was finally rewarded with a Nathan Pullar try. The nuggety hooker
burrowed over after multiple phases and some stout defense from the home side.
Arrowtown might have scored more as it created a number of other chances in the
first half only to blow them with turnovers and other basic errors. The biggest
blunder from the visitors was the resulting kick-off after Pullar’s try when
the ball was left to bounce straight into the hands of a waiting Jai Baxter who
sprinted 30 metres to score. Just before halftime it was almost an instant
replay as a kick to the back was let bounce and was scooped up by first
five-eighth Ryan Edgerton who scored. All of a sudden Arrowtown was behind 12-7
at the break.
The visitors
started the second as it had the first but this time Clyde-Earnscleugh would
not let it score and for all of its efforts at the start of the second half,
Arrowtown could not add to its total.
Mistakes
once again became the order of the day and Clyde-Earnscleugh was eating it up.
It slowed the game down, got itself into the right part of the field and forced
an infringement which fullback Shane Excel kicked to extend the lead out past
the crucial seven point margin. Excel was then on hand to pop a drop goal with
10 minutes to play to ensure the win and the all important four competition
points.
Clyde-Earnscleugh
captain Corey Crosbie had a huge game with ball in hand and Baxter showed his
experience controlling the game well.
Maniototo and Alexandra played out a thriller at Ranfurly,
the home side kicking a penalty in the final moments to get a 13-10 win.
In a match
where both sides were fighting to make the top four, Maniototo got out to a
10-3 lead with a converted try to dynamic flanker AJ Paton midway through the
first half followed by a Charlie Hore penalty goal. Alexandra got three points
back through the boot of first five-eighth Michael Paulin before the halftime
break.
Despite
being not being able to force a turnover, Alexandra battled back into the match
early in the second half through a try to fullback Sam Cant who finished off an
excellent movement. Paulin converted to level the scores at 10 apiece. With
three minutes left to play and the game on a knife-edge, Alexandra gave away a
penalty for offside play and Hore stepped up to kick his second penalty goal
and win the match for the home side.
Alexandra’s
loose forward trio was in sublime form on both attack and defense while Nathan
Huddleston was Maniototo best on the day.
Cromwell got its second win of the season and second in a
row as it knocked of Matakanui Combined 20-19 at Omakau.
The
visitors got on the board early with a try to Sam O’Callaghan followed by two
penalty goals to first five-eighth Callum Dimond. Matakanui answered with a try
of its own to loose forward James Heckler before halftime to see Cromwell lead
11-5 at the halftime break.
A barrage
of penalties for repeated infringements by the home side saw Cromwell continue
to accumulate points in the second half by way of Dimond’s boot. However, the
home side stayed in touch and looked the better team in the second half with
two tries, one to James Trew and the other to replacement flanker Andrew
Paterson. However it wasn’t enough as a Dimond drop goal with 10 minutes to play
sealed the victory for the visitors. Cromwell captain Ant Dickey was the
man-of-the-match.
Wakatipu went to Wanaka and blew the home side Upper Clutha
away 58-17 to gain five valuable competition points and earn outright second in
the Central Otago standings with three matches to play.
Once again
three-quarter Danny King was the star for Wakatipu bagging four tries to take
his try tally to 14th for the season. He wasn’t the only player to score though
with nine tries scored in total. Lock Henry Youngman bagged his second double
in as many weeks including a sensational chip ‘n’ chase while centre Nathan
Reid, flanker Marcus Balchin and wing Mark Te Whaiti also crossed. Fullback
Tony Farley had his hands full with the kicking duties as he added five conversions
and a penalty goal.
Lock Raf
Tahua was Wakatipu’s man-of-the-match while Tane Tawera was Upper Clutha’s
stand out a no. 8.
