Arrowtown, who opened their season with losses to Alexandra and Wakatipu at Jack Reid Park, were lucky Matak’s kicker missed a last-minute conversion to take the game into extra time.
Captain Ryan Egerton, who wassidelined with an ankle sprain, sayscoach Jackson Wallace "gaveone of the best halftime sprays I think I’ve ever heard — probably couldn’t be thrown in the Mountain Scene, some of the quotes — but he definitely got his message across".
Egerton says Cromwell will be desperate to make amends for last weekend’s loss to Maniototo.
"What we need to do is just play as a team.
"We’ve got to be better, we can’t just be scrapping for a wooden spoon, we’re hoping to be a semi-final side this year."
Egerton hopes he’ll be back for next Thursday night’s White Horse Cup challenge against undefeated Upper Clutha in Wanaka — two days early due to the start of duckshooting.
Meanwhile, it’s the Wakatipu Premiers’ turn to travel to Omakau this Saturday and show what they’re made of after coming off second-best to Upper Clutha, 28-14, in their first loss of the season last weekend.
Down 28-7 at halftime on their home ground, they at least picked up the only points in the second half, and coach Jordan Manihera is using the loss as a chance to focus on some areas they can improve on.
