Handling errors cost Wairarapa-Bush

All Black Guildford had few opportunities to show his class during Wairarapa-Bush’s match against King Country in Masterton this afternoon. Photo: JADE CVETKOV

By WALT DICKSON

It was a forgettable start to the 2016 Heartland Championship for Farriers Wairarapa-Bush in Masterton this afternoon.

A bad case of the dropsies meant that they pretty much handed King Country the winning of the game.

Both sides scored two tries each in the 18-16 loss.

With much hype around the naming of All Black Zac Guildford there was high expectation of Wairarapa-Bush putting on a good show.

The wet and wintry conditions were always going to put a damper on that, but Wairarapa-Bush thought that they would give it a crack anyway.

The result was a frustrating stop-start first half with the home team spilling the ball at least ten times.

Starved of possession and territory for much of the half it was King Country who scored first. With a quarter of an hour nearly gone the visitors toed ahead a loose pass. Wairarapa-Bush wing Corey McFadzean looked to be winning the race, but just as the ball crossed under the bar it bobbled up and rolled into the path of King Country’s centre Stephan Turner who dived on it to score.

Wairarapa-Bush continued to dominate but in the slippery conditions struggled to hang on to the ball. They were eventually rewarded after 35-minutes, and ironically it was through a great piece of skill in the air from loose forward James Goodger. Turning down a shot at goal, full-back Sam Monaghan chipped the ball across field to the waiting Goodger way out wide who jumped high to score a spectacular try.

A Tim Priest penalty on the stroke of half time levelled the score 8-all.

King Country took the lead 15-minutes into the second half from a Zayn Tipping penalty. They then pushed the game out of Wairarapa-Bush’s reach with a shove over try by replacement prop Sean Wanden, converted by Tipping in the 73rd minuted.

Wairarapa-Bush finally strung together some good phases and hooker Richard Puddy, who came off the bench, crashed over for a well deserved try. Priest converted it giving Wairarapa-Bush one last chase to snatch a late victory, but they spilled the ball in the tackle.

Guildford had few opportunities to shine in the match.,