Southland tested by brave Makos side

Story by: Marc Palmano - Photo by: Evan Barnes

Despite scoring the only try of the match and having another cruelly disallowed it was the penalty count against Tasman that allowed Southland to finish 21-16 winners at Lansdowne Park tonight.

The crowd in the north-end of the Western grandstand were in good voice, including a bunch of well-fuelled but good-natured Stags' supporters seated just behind.  The low-scoring first half in which the sides exchanged a couple of penalties was tainted by the referee, or more accurately his decisions which in the early part seemed to go against the home side.  The roaring Stags supporters, no doubt existing on a diet of Speights and more Speights,  whilst at first praising the whistle-blower were heard later to offer a few less than flattering remarks in Mr. Pearce's direction.  Questions need to be asked, not least of which to the Australian referee, how a team can endure 20 minutes of intense Canterbury pressure one week without a hint of offending at the breakdown then be so heavily penalised the following week in the same area.

That said, Southland did look the most threatening in the first period, with fullback Glen Horton looking lively with ball in-hand, and Tasman would have been reasonably happy going in tied up at six a piece.

Continuing on the vein from the first spell, the majority of the second-half was played out between the two 22's and became an attritional battle likely to be decided by the penalty count which again was going Southland's way allowing them to add 12 points without reply to open up an 18-6 lead with just six minutes left.

It looked done and dusted but the Makos, having been denied a try for an alledged crossing offence minutes earlier, bravely battled on and were rewarded when they took a quick tap penalty to set-up substitute Blair Cook who crossed under the posts.  Marshall wasted no time in adding the extra two points by drop-kicking the conversion and a tense finale was in store, until that is Southland were awarded a penalty a minute later which took them 8 points clear.

The Makos supporters, realising the comeback was-shortlived and worst still that the bonus point was gone, quietened,  until somewhat ironically Tasman were awarded a penalty on the Stags 10m line and 15m in from the right  which James Marshall duly converted to secure the Makos some return for their evenings's work.

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