Carterton wing Chester Rothery is all smiles as he races away for the winning try. PHOTO/JADE CVETKOV
By Gary Caffell
Pacy Carterton winger Chester Rothery only got the one chance to work up a full head of steam in his team’s Tui Cup premier division match with Pioneer at the Jeans Street ground in Masterton on Saturday, but boy, did he make the most of it.
Carterton, who were missing several regular squad members, were down 12-8 with just seconds to go before the final whistle when Rothery was given the ball deep inside his own territory.
His rapid acceleration took him outside a couple of Pioneer defenders before he veered infield to leave at least two other would-be tacklers in his wake, to score the winning try under the goalposts.
Daryl Pickering converted to turn what had looked certain to be a narrow loss for Carterton into a 15-12 success.
It was an exciting end to what had been a rather stop-start affair.
Pioneer deservedly went to the halftime break with a 12-3 advantage, seven of those points coming from a penalty try awarded after their forwards had shoved Carterton back several metres at a scrum and forced them to infringe to stop what the referee and the linesman considered would have been a certain try.
The other Pioneer try had been scored by prop Jaden Mason and came after Daryl Pickering had put Carterton 3-0 in front with a penalty.
The second half saw Carterton have a slight territorial edge and when Jono Hurley scored a try to make it 12-8, there was always the feeling that they had enough momentum up to secure the win.
However, nobody could have guessed that they would take until the very last attacking movement of the game to pull it off.
Young lock David Gordon was impressive up front for Carterton, taking down some good lineout ball and being a willing and effective worker in the mauls.
Prop Jacko Hull starred in several surging bursts while the pick of the Carterton backs were halfback Daryl Pickering, centre Corey McFadzean and wing Brandon Wright.
Front rowers Matt Kawana and Jaden Mason toiled away well for Pioneer and No 8 Jonte Miller was typically robust with ball in hand.
In the backs, the standout was halfback Joseph Thompson who varied the direction of play cleverly.
His personal duel with Pickering was always going to be a matter of special interest as they are both pressing hard for places in the Wairarapa-Bush squad to take on Hawke’s Bay next Monday and honours came out about even on this occasion.
The big surprise in premier division games this weekend came at Martinborough where the home team celebrated their old-timer’s day in style, toppling Kapene Cup winners from the previous weekend, Greytown, in a cliff-hanger 14-13.
Tim Priest and Tristan Flutey scored tries for Martinborough and Tipene Cunningham kicked two conversions.
Skipper Tavita Isaac scored Greytown’s only try.
Abe Southey landed two penalties and one conversion.
Popular prop Kurt Simmonds was having his last game for Greytown before moving to Taranaki.
Marist and Eketahuna also had a battle royal with Marist prevailing 18-16.
New Wairarapa-Bush squad member Soli Malatai ran in two tries for Marist and his brother, Malatai Malatai, also touched down.
James Goodger kicked a penalty.
Gladstone went to the top of the Tui Cup points table with a comfortable 37-10 win over East Coast.
Eddie Cranston scored a couple of tries for Gladstone with others going to Cameron Hayton, Scott Harpham and Brad Griffith.
The latter also kicked three conversions and two penalties.
Competition points: Gladstone 33, Greytown 30, Carterton 25, Martinborough 22, Pioneer 21, Marist 18, Eketahuna 17, East Coast 0.
Senior reserve results: Puketoi 45 Pioneer 22; Martinborough 34 Greytown 10; Marist 68 East Coast 19; Featherston 24 Eketahuna 14; Masterton Red Star 45 Carterton 10; Tuhirangi 38 Gladstone 0.
