By Chesley Daniels
St Marks Alicedale, Trying Stars and Klipfontein United all registered important wins and kept the Sedru flag high in the Epru competitions over the past weekend.
Score Epru Grand Challenge Top 12
Trying Stars vs Grahamstown Brumbies:
This highly-anticipated Sedru derby took place at the fortress Wentzel Park Sports Ground in Alexandria on Saturday. Stars continued their dominance over Brumbies in recent years and again clinched bragging rights in front of scores of spectators. Stars recorded a hard-fought 26-18 win as Brumbies could kick themselves for conceding a few soft tries and not using their scoring opportunities.
Stars grabbed their chances and with a bit of luck, made it count and collected the four log points. Brumbies’ scrums were once again dominant as they did throughout the competition, but chances went begging in crucial moments.
Stars’ win placed them in seventh position on the overall log with Brumbies plummeting from second position to fifth. Nolan Soyes and Mueed Fritz scored tries for Brumbies, with Merlin du Plessis bagging a conversion and scoring two penalties. For Stars, the try scorers were Melikhaya Koopman, Sihle Mendile and Lucan Milborrow, with a conversion and three penalties for Milborrow.
Score Epru Grand Challenge Bottom 12
St Mark’s Alicedale vs Aberdeen:
The Bulls played host to Aberdeen at the Alicedale Sports Ground in very hot weather conditions in front of a decent crowd. The home side needed the win badly and didn’t disappoint, claiming a dominant 38-7 bonus-point win. St Marks took a healthy 17-0 lead at the break and scored three further second half tries for the all-important bonus point victory.
The young and exciting backs of the home side were in sublime form on attack and scored three out of the four tries on the day. It was business as usual for St Marks’ powerful forward pack as they again had a solid outing up front and dominated their counterparts.
St Marks still need to work very hard to move up on the log to steady their position firm to reach the top 4.
Helenvale United vs Lily White Grahamstown:
The Makhanda side travelled to the Northern Areas in Gqeberha to take on newly-promoted side Helenvale. It was a disappointing outing and effort from the Sedru side who went pointless against a dominant Helenvale side. The home side clinched a runaway 34-0 bonus-point win.
Epru Adams Cup
Klipfontein United vs Algoa Park:
The Harmony Park in Klipfontein was packed as United ran riot with an emphatic 67-21 bonus-point win, scoring a phenomenal 10-tries in their group A clash.
United dominated matters from the onset and were too good for their opponents on the day, scoring some spectacular tries.
United are in excellent form, winning home and away and are now firm in second position on the log
Excelsior Middelburg vs Swallows Grahamstown:
Swallows travelled to Middelburg and went down 31-47, claiming a losing bonus-point try. Swallows are in fourth position on the log after three games.
Old Collegians (OC) vs Wailers:
In an Adams Cup group D fixture, hosts Old Collegians narrowly went down 9-10 to a spirited Wailers side at the Lavender Valley Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon.
OC had many scoring opportunities but couldn’t capitalise as they made numerous errors. In the end, Wailers took their chances and upset the favourites in front of their faithful Tantyi support.
Kabah United vs Rosebuds Alicedale:
Rosebuds went in to the Kariega corridors to face the struggling Kabah. The home side made use of home-ground advantage and claimed a 28-17 bonus-point win. Rosebuds played without a few of their star players due to injury but full credit to Kabah who fought hard for their win.
Sunsed Regional League
Ndlambe Tigers vs Kowie United
The Port Alfred derby took place in Nemato on Saturday. Kowie continued their dominance over the Nemato side with a 37-7 bonus-point win. Kowie proved too good for their neighbours, scoring five tries. United were eyeing promotion to the Adams Cup and are in a good space to do so.
