Havelock North No Cooper Flanders fends off attacking Napier Tech players. Photo / Connull Lang
Havelock North No Cooper Flanders fends off attacking Napier Tech players. Photo / Connull Lang
A last-minute penalty kick clinched Havelock North a one-point victory over Napier Tech in their Maddison Cup match on Saturday.
The win means they still have a chance to secure a place in the semifinals of the competition – if they can beat an undefeated Taradale side next Saturday.
Havelock North coach Adam Blake said his team was on attack in the last play of the game against Tech and got a turnover with about 15 seconds to go, after a “back-and-forth” match.
“We managed to get up the field and got a penalty about 40 metres out, right in front,” Blake said.
Blake said Will Cole was the team’s player of the day, kicking six from six through the posts – including the deciding penalty.
He also credited Cooper Flanders for his “outstanding” performance on attack and Phil McRoberts and Tony Lamborn for their defence.
“[Flanders] ran in a 60-metre try pretty much untouched, just weaving through defence. I just thought he was awesome on attack and led from the front,” Blake said.
“Personally for us as a club, we’ve had a few results not go our way in the last few weeks so I am just stoked for the boys to get a win and a bit of a reward for the work put in on a Tuesday and Thursday.”
He said the team were taking “the long road” if they wanted to reach the semifinals, but they were up for the challenge and he expected it to be “a hell of a game”.
“If you had said to me at the start of the year that we need to win the last game of the year to make the semis, I probably would have signed up for that.”
Napier Tech replacement forward Isaiah Martin in a scrum. Photo / Connull Lang
“It is going to be a tough challenge with Taradale being the pinnacle of club rugby this year, but we talked about it and we’ve earnt ourselves another week of competitive rugby and we are excited for the challenge.”
Napier Tech and Clive will play for the women’s championship next Saturday in a repeat of last year’s final match-up.
For Napier Tech’s women’s team, it will their shot at a third championship in a row and the sixth in seven years.
