The Western Force prevailed 36-28 in a seesawing Super 14 rugby union match yesterday to leave the luckless Otago Highlanders winless from their first five matches.
Midway through the second half, the home team looked likely to break their duck when they took a 28-20 lead. But the fast improving Force hit back with a converted try and three late penalties to seal the win.
Both sides scored three tries but the Highlanders paid for their high mistake rate against the Force, fresh off a morale-boosting away win against the Auckland Blues last week.
The difference was in the boots of playmaker Matt Giteau, who kicked 15 points, and fullback Cameron Shepherd, who chipped in with two late long-range penalties.
Giteau said the Force were relieved to come out with a win after a patchy performance against the Highlanders, who had lost their previous four matches by less than six points.
"We made it pretty tough for ourselves," flyhalf Giteau said afterwards. "We didn't play too well but we're still happy to get the win."
The early signs were ominous for the Highlanders when they gave away three turnovers at the breakdown in the first minutes, negating a dominance of territory.
After Giteau and the Highlanders' Daniel Bowden traded early penalties, the home side scored the first try against the run of play with a brilliant solo try to inside center Dominic Bowden.
From more than 40m out, Bowden sidestepped two defenders to find himself in open space with the line beckoning.
The more consistent Force answered after 25 minutes when lock Tom Hockings crashed over after some good work by halfback James Stannard and outside center Ryan Cross.
Cross was in the action again when No. 8 Richard Brown touched down after another turnover just out from the Highlanders tryline. A second penalty by Bowden in the last seconds of the spell cut the Highlanders' halftime deficit to 13-17.
The Highlanders came out with renewed purpose after the halftime break, hitting back with two tries in the first 10 minutes of the spell.
Winger Paul Williams scored the first, followed by a superb solo effort by the other winger, Fetu'u Vainikolo, from approximately 60m out, helped by a clever little inside pass from fullback James Wilson.
But the turning point came after 64 minutes when Cross, one of the standouts in the match, snatched an intercept pass from 41m out before sprinting untouched to the line.
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