Sport

The MAC First XV team travelled across to Oamaru last weekend to take on Waitaki Boys and came away with a hard-fought win to keep their premiership aspirations on track.

A fine sunny day greeted the MAC team and they started the game well enough by pressuring the Waitaki line soon after kick-off, before a dropped ball by MAC let Waitaki off the hook.

A tight tussle then followed with most of the action happening in the middle of the field with neither side wanting to play in their half and kicking for territory after a couple of phases. Waitaki looked threatening with the ball but poor execution and good pressure by the MAC defenders meant they were unable to make much ground. They had a chance to score points with a penalty attempt but it went wide and the score remained 0-0 for much of the half.

Waitaki kept up the pressure and when the passes stuck their backs again looked dangerous and made good ground, coming close to scoring on several occasions before eventually getting over the try line to lead 5 -0

MAC was soon back defending their half again before some impressive kicking and penalties allowed them to play up the right end of the field. A line out five meters out from the Waitaki line gave the MAC forwards a chance to try a line out drive which they executed very well, driving their much bigger and heavier opponents backwards to give hooker Dane Bowler a clear path to score his first try of the season and go into the break locked up at five points each.

The second half continued much like the first, with Waitaki looking to move the ball before being thwarted by the MAC defenders or their own mistakes. The MAC team by contrast played with more accuracy, their kickers forcing Waitaki back down the field to start again. This paid off with a penalty line out near the Waitaki line and gave the MAC forwards another opportunity to use their line-out drive. They made no mistakes and surged over the line, loose forward Tom Hope scoring the try to put MAC into the lead at 12-5.

MAC then put together a good spell of dominance, but was unable to find a way over the line, and instead opted for three points from a successful penalty shot by fullback Cullen Meyer to stretch out the lead to 15-5.

Waitaki responded with some highrisk rugby, throwing the ball around and finding holes in the tiring MAC defence. The passes eventually stuck, and they were able to score and close the gap to 15-10.

Now playing with confidence in front of their home crowd Waitaki continued with this style of play which made for an exciting but tense last five minutes of the match. However, the MAC boys dug deep with some desperate defence and held on strong to win the match.

Coach Craig Read remarked after the game: "Our boys were significantly outsized but showed great courage and determination to hold out for the win. Unlucky for Waitaki as had they been able to hold on to the ball the score may have been a lot different."

This weekend the team is back home and looking forward to playing in front of their supporters. A win will ensure they are promoted to the premiership for the second round and guarantees a place in the top eight. They take on the Otago Combined Co-ed team up at the High School. The kick-off is at 1 pm.

– By Clint Hughes

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