By RHYS CHAMBERLAIN
The classic game of two halves developed when Cromwell beat Clyde-Earnscleugh 25-19 at Clyde on Saturday.
The home side dominated the match for long periods, with Jai Baxter opening the scoring in the first five minutes with a converted try.
He then scored another, slipping down the short side to run 30m untouched.
When Clyde scored a third try, Cromwell looked to be out of the match as it trailed 19-0 at half-time.
The match was then turned on its head when flying Cromwell winger George Tiko finished two backline attacks to score twice in quick succession.
At 19-16 with 15 minutes to play, Cromwell fullback Andy Clarke weaved some English magic to score a superb solo try to take the lead and then drop a goal from almost 40m to put the game away.
Lock Corey Crosbie, Baxter and second five-eighth Luke Manson had strong games for the home side, while openside flanker Brad Nicholson and substitute hooker Barry Scott lifted the Cromwell side in the second half.
• Arrowtown held on to the White Horse Cup for another week by beating a strong Upper Clutha side 22-6 in Arrowtown.
Two tries in the first six minutes, one by centre Shane Clearwater and the other by five-eighth Reece Winter, somewhat stunned the visiting side and it never really got back into the match.
Two penalties by Byron Clarke ensured Upper Clutha stayed in touch but when Luke Mullin crossed for Arrowtown late in the match, the victory and White Horse Cup were secure.
Sizeable prop Hori Elers and flanker Daniel Dodds had strong games in the Arrowtown forward pack while halfback Simon Williams gave the backline excellent ball.
The White Horse Cup will again be on the line when Wakatipu takes up the challenge next Saturday in Arrowtown.
• The first draw of 2009 was played out in Omakau when Matakanui and Alexandra finished the match at 17-17.
No 8 Simon Grant, along with Dean Rabbidge and Mitchell Lake, scored tries for Matakanui, with Rabbidge and Tim Hore having strong matches for the home side.
Alexandra led 12-5 at the break and would have extended its lead had a try been awarded early in the second half.
A mark was seemingly called by Matakanui but went unheard by the referee and play carried on, Alexandra charging down the resulting kick and scoring a try.
The try was awarded by referee Gary Smith but taken away again after the touch judge informed him of the mark.
It was a key moment in the match and would have put Alexandra comfortably ahead.
Prop Lance Davies scored Alexandra's first try, and first five-eighth Brendan Domigan and No 8 Dave Lilley scored the others.
• Maniototo snatched a nail-biting victory from Wakatipu in Ranfurly, where it was 16-15 at full-time.
At 5-3 up at half-time, thanks to a Bradley Cross try, Wakatipu looked to be in control, but when openside flanker Gavin Dowling scored a converted try for Maniototo, the tide turned and Maniototo held on for victory.
The rest of its points came from the boot of first five-eighth Thomas Huddleston and winger Willie Clouston.
Wakatipu managed a late try to Brad Robertson in the final five minutes but could not convert and then knocked the ball on to give away the chance for victory.
Clouston was a stand-out for Maniototo, making several runs out wide and setting up scoring opportunities.
North Otago
By TERRY O'NEILL
Two North Otago clubs, Excelsior and Valley, will meet in the section one final of the combined premier two competition to be played at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Both teams came through the four rounds unbeaten.
On Saturday, Excelsior beat University B 52-19 and Valley beat Kaikorai 46-0, and in other games, Athletic beat Dunedin 36-18 and Kurow beat Zingari-Richmond 22-3.
In section two, Southern beat Maheno 45-5 and Old Boys won by default from Pirates.
• Excelsior raced out to an early 19-0 lead against University B in Oamaru, with front rower Apilotoa Sitaleki getting a brace of tries and Mike Mullins the other.
Jason Forrest converted two of the tries.
University B scored and converted to make it 19-7 at halftime.
Excelsior applied the pressure in the third quarter with right-winger Lofi Asi, No 8 Uhila Malafu and left-winger Vilikisa Sayabo scoring tries, all converted by Forrest, to take Excelsior out to a 40-14 lead.
University added its second converted try midway through the half.
Replacement frontrower Tokelau Tatafu stormed 50m for Excelsior's seventh try which Forrest duly converted.
Big prop Rangi Hepi added the eighth, with University replying with an unconverted try.
• Valley was always in control against Kaikorai at Weston.
A Barry Fox try and a Nathan Cunningham conversion and penalty gave Valley a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, tries to winger Craig Kingan and fullback Jason Mavor. one of which was converted by Cunningham gave Valley a 22-0 half-time lead.
In the second half, loose forward Scott Hooper and veteran midfielder Mike Mavor scored tries, with Cunningham scoring two late tries, converting one himself to give himself a tally of 19 points for the game.
Halfback Nick Webster converted the final try.
• Kurow maintained its unbeaten run when it downed Zingari-Richmond in Dunedin 22-3.
Kurow led 12-3 at half-time, with Jake Gard and Blair Malcolm scoring tries.
Kyle Jarvis converted one.
The home side kicked a penalty. Mitchell Sidon and Michael Paterson added two tries to Kurow's total in the second half.
• Athletic made better use of the strong wind in the first half at Kettle Park against Dunedin, leading 29-3 at halftime and holding out Dunedin in the final 40 minutes for a 36-18 win.
Athletic led 12-3 at the end of the first quarter, with Grant Johnston getting the first of his three tries and flanker Lotoa Lino touching down for Simi Fuluasou to convert one of the tries.
Grant Johnston scored two further tries and Willie Salim one to give Athletic a 21-point half-time lead.
Dunedin dominated the second half, running in three uncoverted tries.
Athletic lock Aisake Fonua scored Athletic's sixth try.
• In section two, Old Boys topped the points table after winning by default from Pirates on Saturday and in the final will play Southern at Whitestone stadium next Saturday at 2.45pm.
Southern walloped Maheno in an impressive display in the second half.
A converted try on half-time gave Southern a 7-5 lead and in the second 40 minutes it added a further six tries, four of which were converted, for its 45-5 victory.
Football
Sullivan Martin, the Awamoa United striker, took his goal tally to eight from just three matches when his side drew 3-3 with Pleasant Point at King George Park on Saturday.
Martin scored once in the first spell to match Peter Ray's goal for Pleasant Point and in the second half added two to retain Awamoa United's unbeaten run.
• Meadowbank United's Andy Lane took his goal tally to seven in just three matches when he scored four goals as Meadowbank downed Timaru Town and Country 6-1 in Timaru on Saturday.
Meadowbank led 3-1 at half-time with Lane getting two and Lutz Ervell one, while Simon Belworthy scored for Timaru.
In the second half, Lane added two further goals and Carl Burke one.
Hockey
Tainui showed excellent early season form when it beat Timaru Boys High School first X1 4-1 at the Centennial Park all-weather turf on Saturday afternoon.
Tainui led 1-0 at half-time, Jamie Ferris scoring for the home side.
In the second half, Ferris added his second and Roger Orr and Wade Guthrie completed the scoring.
Indoor bowls
Sixteen teams entered the Meadowbank club triples on Friday night.
Five teams qualified for post section play.
In the first semifinal, Garth McKenzie's composite team skipped by Helen Comer beat Sue Jones, 2-1.
In the other semifinal, Gordon Robb beat Wally Strachan 3-2.
The final went to Helen Comer, Garth McKenzie and Brian Comer, who beat Gordon Robb, Rhonda Lockerbie and Diana McGregor, of the Wesley club, 4-3.
South Otago
By NORMAN WOODS
Lawrence scored 24 points in the second half, too good for Crescent, winning by 32-20.
Crescent led 15-8 at half-time.
Lawrence made better use of the wind in the second spell, with kicks being long and sure and kept Crescent on the defensive.
Crescent went on to an early lead, when Alan Thomson kicked a well-judged penalty to give Crescent and early 3-0 lead.
Crescent No 8 S.
Lesu was next to score and Crescent went out to an 8-0 lead.
Lawrence came back with a Junior Maiono try, but Crescent had the last say in the first spell, when winger S.
Viliamu scored wide out.
Thomson converted and Crescent went into half-time with a 15-8 lead.
The second spell began well for Lawrence when Sam Young kicked a penalty, and this was followed by a Crescent flanker being sin-binned.
Lawrence hit the front when Sam Young was on hand for the final pass to score handy to the posts.
He converted, taking the score to 18-15.
Soon after, Lex Kaleca scored for Lawrence, Young converted, and Lawrence went out to 25-15.
With 15 minutes to go, a player was red-carded, and Crescent had to battle with 14 men for the rest of the game.
In the final minutes, Lawrence's Junior Maiono swooped on the loose ball, picked it up with one hand and ran 30m to score under the bar.
Young converted to make the score 32-15 and right on full-time Crescent came back with a try to make the final score 32-20.
For Lawrence, No 8 Junior Maiono had another strong game and was well supported by Owen Ankers and Mark Homer.
Up front, Ratu Silatolu was another to impress.
In the backs, Lex Kaleca was again in outstanding form, with his tackling standing out.
Sam Young was the complete general, while Pat Robertson on the wing showed out with plenty of pace.
For Crescent, the forwards played well, with Braden Harrison at lock playing strongly.
Barry Gooch tried hard at flanker.
Up front, Mark Frisby and Matt Thwaites all gave of their best.
In the backs, Alan Thomson was again supreme at halfback.
Samoan winger S.
Viliamu showed out with good pace.
• In a game with many players away, Heriot defeated Clinton 6-3 after scores were locked at 3-3 at half-time.
Clinton had three players away at a wedding.
Eleven of Heriot's players were also away at the same wedding.
For Clinton, Bill Maiono kicked a first-half penalty, and French fullback Thomas Guilloind kicked a penalty in each half to give Heriot the win.
The experience of Adam McCall and Fraser Fletcher up front gave Heriot the advantage.
No 8 Jeremy Fluxa had a fine game for Heriot.
In the backs, Adrian Clauge at first five gave a solid display, as the Heriot backs defended strongly to hold out Clinton.
• Clutha scored its first win of the season when it beat Toko 20-10 after the score was locked at 5-5 at half-time.
Clutha began the game well when prop Dan Georn scored after two minutes, his third try of the season, but Toko came back when Simon Scott scored an excellent try to level the scores at 5-5, which stayed the same to half-time.
In the second spell after 10 minutes, Willie Harris scored, then Joseph Laban scored a try to push Clutha to 20-5 lead.
Toko was not finished as Samioan Isanoni scored the final try to make the score 20-10 in Clutha's favour.
For Clutha in the forwards, flanker Lyndon Whalecaught the eye.
He was everywhere.
Willie Harris and Dan Groen were tireless workers.
In the backs, the return of player/coach Tim Hutton inspired the team, with an outstanding display at halfback.
He kept the forwards moving forward, and made sure their minds were on the job.
Replacement Blake Korteweg came on and showed he is back from injury with a fine classy performance at first five.
For Toko, Simon Scott (forwards) and Phillip Scott (backs) were the two players to stand out.
• Clutha Valley was made to work hard for its win, when it beat Owaka 20-7, after Owaka led 7-5 at half-time.
This was a physical game, with the Owaka team outstanding in the tackling department.
Clutha Valley scored three tries, winger Jarrod Cowley scoring two of them.
The other went to Josh Botting, the Valley halfback.
This was a team effort for Valley, as backs and forwards played well.
The players to stand out were Scott Sharpin at lock and Ashley McElrea at fullback.
For Owaka, Michael Berney led the forwards well.
Bailey Povey and Brendon Jury excelled in the backs.
