Dannevirke Sports Club Seniors bounce back

Lock Hayden Arrandale on the charge for Dannevirke Sports Club Seniors against Kia Toa on Saturday July 11.

Dannevirke Sports Club Seniors are still near the top of the Manawatu Rugby Premier Two Competition after a loss and a win in recent weeks.

In a game marred by both teams not adapting to the breakdown rules, Dannevirke Sports Club Seniors on July 11 faded to lose to Kia Toa in their last game at Rugby Park for four weeks.

Connor McIntyre soars high to win the lineout throw.

Despite missing some regular players, Dannevirke adapted pretty well to the start of their fixture against Kia Toa from Palmerston North, early pressure yielding a try to centre Andrew Baxter after several forward surges and a spin wide.

The game was passionately contested by both sides but promising moves by both sides were try-less due to breakdown infringements being policed by the referee strictly.

This yielded two penalties to Kia Toa but Dannevirke retaliated with one of its own and then a late try to Shay Ashworth to give Dannevirke a 13-6 lead at halftime.

Most forwards in both teams took the direct route at the start of the second half, each surge by one team being rewarded with a three-point penalty not once but twice each.

With the score 19-12 to Dannevirke a decision to change the momentum by kicking a handy penalty for the corner may have turned the tide. It proved unsuccessful and the ensuing clearance and pursuit by Kia Toa resulted in a penalty try due to a foot-trip to even the score.

Yellow carded, Dannevirke failed to convert a penalty giving Kia Toa the ball which was swung wide for its winger to score Kia Toa taking the lead 26-19.

The rattled local team striving to bridge the gap in the last minutes then compounded the situation by failing to clear a deep kick and Kia Toa ended up the winner 33-19.

Playing Linton at Linton is no easy task but Dannevirke Sports, still hurting from last week's first loss played their best game of the season beating the hosts 29-7. It now goes on to three more games away before the last two matches of the season at home.