A fresh winter’s afternoon at Botha’s Hill paved the way for what was to be a physical encounter between Kearsney College and Glenwood. With both teams having suffered a string of recent defeats, there was a sense of eagerness to return to winning ways.
The first half was a tightly contested affair, both teams trading blows, but neither crossing the line. After 30 minutes of battle, Glenwood opened the scoring with a penalty. Shortly after, Kearsney reciprocated by turning pressure into points and converted a penalty of their own, compliments of Chad Croshaw. The teams went into half-time, deadlocked on three points apiece.
Soon after the break, Glenwood capitalised from a Kearsney error, stripping the ball in contact, to run in an opening try. A seemingly easy conversion was missed; however, Glenwood now took a 5-point lead.
Kearsney immediately applied pressure from the kick-off, forcing a penalty which they duly converted, narrowing the lead to two points. Glenwood traded blows again as they converted another penalty, with Kearsney showing some impatience at the rucks.
A telling moment in the match came from a Kearsney attempt to convert another penalty. With the ball dropping short, Glenwood sparked a counter-attack from the one end of the field to the other. From here they camped on the Kearsney line, eventually breaking through for a telling score in the left corner. An excellent conversion from the line took the score to 18-6, leaving a mountain to climb for the hosts.
In true One Stripe fashion, they threw everything at Glenwood. A desperation on attack and keeping the ball in hand, eventually led to a try by Heinrich Fourie, converted by Croshaw. With five minutes left on the clock and everything to play for, Kearsney hit Glenwood with wave after wave of attack; each time coming unstuck, as their composure lacked.
With time up on the clock, Glenwood kicked the ball down field, leaving Kearsney with one last shot at the win. Counter-attacking from their own 22m line, Kearsney worked their way right up the Glenwood try line. With what looked to be building to an incredible finish for the hosts, Glenwood spoilt the party by winning a crucial breakdown penalty just short of their try line.
Booting the ball into touch, the visitors walked off the field victorious, 13-18.
