CLUB RUGBY - Mid Western turn back clock for historic win

A fantastic late try by first five-eighth Lachie Munro clinched what may have been the first ever win by Mid Western over Mid Northern at Hukeranui on Saturday.
The try came as the home side sought to wind down the clock after fighting back from a second-half deficit to lead 24-21.
With three minutes left, Mid Western ran the ball right from a scrum, with centre Brook Gilmore holding up the ball while Munro wrapped around him to draw the winger and put winger Tim Pettit into a hole. Pettit cut inside and passed back to Munro who, faced with the cover defence, dropped the ball on to his foot and then chased the kick to gather and beat the dive of loosie Rata Going.
It was a fitting end to an exciting game.
Club president Paul McDowell said the last victory over Mid Northern was believed to be in 1971 - but there was some conjecture whether Mid Western had ever toppled Mid Northern at home.
The visiting captain Adam Clark was delighted the team had stuck to their game plan despite being under the cosh from Mid Northern throughout most of the second spell.
"We haven't been under pressure like that before this year and it was good to see the guys just keep going. I think a lot of teams might have allowed Mid Northern to sew up the match," he said.
Clark said the backs had shown their skills and if the forwards could continue to improve, then they would be in the reckoning come semifinals.
The Mid Western victory was all the more impressive as they were down 14-0 after 10 minutes with winger Jershon Stewart-Witehira scoring a stunner and fullback Vaughan Going bagging a second try under the sticks.
Mid Western edged back with their best spell of possession in the third quarter, capping it with a try to Aaron McCullough.
Munro kicked three penalties to level the scores at 14-14 by the break.
Mid Western took the lead 21-14 with Munro finishing off another backline move that cut up Mid Northern's midfield defence.
The home side fired up in response and spent the rest of the spell attacking, camping for long periods in their opponents' 22m. Going finally capitalised on an overworked defence to tie the scores and then a David Howell penalty gave them the lead, before Munro scored the match-winning try.
Mid Northern captain Nick Lake was disappointed with the result of the match but saw plenty of promise in the way his side had played. He said: "We couldn't finish today and we put too much pressure on ourselves by trying too hard but we traditionally start slowly and we're still building now.
"The team made too many mistakes displaying a lack of patience, particularly in the forwards, near Mid Western's line.
"We got down there quite a few times but couldn't get across the line and all credit to Mid Western, they hung in there with some penalties and then managed to finish it in the end."
Hikurangi beat Kamo on the road 25-12 to grab a bonus point but they didn't have it all their own way as Kamo used the wind in the second half to mount a comeback, after trailing 0-20 at the break.
Marist were humbled 18-34 at Kensington Park by the Western Sharks and it was the visitors backs that scored the majority of the tries, in what their coaching staff considered to be one of their best performances of the season. Wellsford ran over Waipu 66-3 at Centennial Park, while Old Boys at least crossed the line at Hora Hora in their 7-43 defeat.