A tough run for North Otago continued up in Te Kuiti in the weekend. After a strong start, and a promising opening 40 minutes, North Otago came apart late in the game to lose 32-17 to King Country.
The home side were first to score, Patrick Hedley landing a penalty kick from close to 40m out inside the opening 3 minutes. Although it was North Otago with the early power on attack.
North Otago attacked the line from the restart, with winger Jamie Mullan making a nice run to the line and getting over, although he was turned in the tackle and ultimately held up in goal. King Country infringed after the goal line drop-out, giving North Otago easy metres into opposition territory. Halfback Jake Matthews then took a quick tap, just metres out from the tryline and caught King Country by surprise, burrowing his way through the defence to score under the posts. Greg Dyer with the kick to lead 7-3 after 6 minutes.
The Rams took the lead again inside the closing 10 minutes of the first half, winger Zach Wickham-Darlington got amongst the forwards and pushed his way over the line for a try to give King Country a narrow lead.
Dyer continued his good form for the Old Golds when he finished off a nice move by Matthews. North Otago set up a rolling maul from a lineout, Matthews took the ball from 5m out and dashed blindside before switching the ball back to Dyer who ran a nice line back inside to score. Dyer then converted and followed up moments later with a penalty to give North Otago the lead 17-8 at the break.
From there it started to all come unstuck for North Otago, despite having their share of the ball on attack in the second spell. Costly errors let King Country back into the game, and the home side went about closing the margin before eventually taking the lead despite being a player down.
A bobbled ball by Mullan as North Otago looked to run it out from their 22m line, landed straight into the arms of his opposite Hedley who dashed away to score and take an 18-17 lead.
North Otago then lost co-captain Mat Duff who was sent to the bin for a dangerous challenge on Kieran Rollison, as he attempted a clearance kick.
Late in the game Wickham-Darlington sliced through the North Otago defence to score his second try of the match, and extend the lead for the home side. Before replacement front rower Tom Ryan steamrolled his way to the line to score and add the icing on the cake right on fulltime.
North Otago 17 Jake Matthews, Greg Dyer tries; Dyer con 2, pen
King Country 32 Zach Wickham-Darlington 2, Patrick Hedley, Tom Ryan tries; Hedley 3 con, 2 pen