By PETER JESSUP
Gerard Stokes reckons he knows why people complain about Australian match officials since his touring New Zealand Residents side was beaten by a ref's call in the game against a Sydney combination.
The Residents were in line for a win when, two minutes from the end, the touch judges went behind the posts to monitor the conversion. But after long consideration, the referee brought them all back for a forward pass and it ended 24-22 to the home team.
"I can understand what people go on about now," coach Stokes said in a side reference to some of the troubles the Warriors have had. "Those sorts of things gut you - we played well enough to win the game."
Both sides played an expansive game, the Residents taking a 12-10 lead to the break.
Porirua prop Chris Faifua, Warrior and Mt Albert player Peter Lewis, who interchanged between front and second row, and hooker and captain Esau Mann, were credited with breaking the back of a talented opposition.
Ben Lythe was working the team around well, they were penetrating out wide through Boycie Nelson and early in the second spell it looked as if the visitors would go on with it.
But two costly defensive errors which allowed the Metro side to run on the fifth tackle cost tries and they went out to a 20-12 lead.
"We let ourselves down a bit, standing in the wrong places on defence, but that was understandable given the short time we've had together."
Two minutes from time, the Residents went wide, Glenora's Nelson passing to Canterbury lock Shaun Norton, who flipped it on to the ever-present Otahuhu half Hare Te Rangi, and when he touched down, all the team and most of the crowd thought the lead had changed hands for the last of several times.
Not so. The Residents go on to Dubbo today for the final game of a very useful but disappointing tour.
"It [Saturday's game] was a good measure for everyone of exactly where they're at, what their potential might be," Stokes said.
There were no injuries after the game, "just a few bumps and bruises. But everyone's feeling a bit sore about the way we lost."
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