KEARSNEY FESTIVAL DAY 2 RESULT, MATCH 3
WORCESTER GIM 38 – 37 HOëR LANDBOUSKOOL MARLOW
In another blockbuster affair on Day 2, Worcester Gimnasium edged past Hoer Landbouskool Marlow 38-37 in the third match of the day.
The lead changed hands a number of times in this game, with a whopping 10 tries scored in arguably the game of the festival so far.
It was all Marlow in the opening exchanges, and they took the lead courtesy of Gideon Jordaan’s boot, before namesake Zeiss Jordaan touched down to make it 8-0.
After hardly firing a shot all game, the Bosvarke scored twice in the blink of an eye. First, they worked a superb first phase attack deep inside Marlow territory, finished off by Darren Murphy, before Vuyolwhtu Bavuma zigzagged his way through broken field to suddenly put the Western Cape boys in front.
Those tries against the run of play seemed to jolt Worcester to life, and they began to grow in confidence as the half wore on. When some handy work by JJ van der Mescht put Theuns Botha away for Marlow’s second, it was the Cradock boys who led 17-12 at the break.
Two more Gideon Jordaan penalties were sandwiched in between Bavuma’s second touchdown, but another Worcester try to Valentino Namodluka nudged his side into the lead.
The boys in blue kept the momentum flowing, and the pressure told again when Elrenzo Swartz crossed over after Teagan Wiessener saw yellow for cynical play on Marlow’s tryline.
When Waylan Pienaar dotted down it looked as though Worcester would run away with it, but Marlow hauled tries back through Wilco Nel and Albrey Rudman at the death, to come within a whisker of the win.
Point scorers
Worcester Gimnasium
Tries: Murphy, Bavuma (2), Namodluka, Swartz, Pienaar Cons: Abrahams (4)
Yellow card: Ngqabuko
Landbouskool Marlow
Tries: Z Jordaan, Botha, Nel, Rudman Cons: G Jordaan (4) Pens: G Jordaan (3)
Yellow card: Wiessener
Photographer: Hannah Shirley