Ikeys sneak crucial win

Flyhalf Matthew Rosslee made amends for a vital miss in Round One, when he landed a late penalty to secure a 24-22 win for FNB Ikeys over FNB Tukkies in a crucial Varsity Cup Round Four match in Pretoria on Monday.

Rosslee had missed a penalty in the dying moments of their Round One match against FNB Maties, their only defeat thus far in the FNB Varsity Cup presented by Steinhoff International.

However, the talented Ikeys No.10 ensured his team's appearance at the LC de Villiers Stadium was a most memorable one, as they ended the home team's undefeated run in the competition on Monday.

The result, which leaves Maties as the only unbeaten side at the top of the standings, sees Tukkies and Ikeys both on 15 points - two behind the leaders - but Tukkies holding onto second place on a better points differential.

In the end the win, secured by Rosslee's fourth penalty of the game, was a fair result as the visitors scored two tries to one and made fewer errors.

For the home side it is a case of 'back to the drawing board', as they were their own worst enemy with bad handling, poor judgment, ordinary tactical kicking and exceptionally bad line-out play.

The wet, slippery conditions could have been an excuse for Tuks' below par performance, was it not Ikeys showing how to play in the conditions by making fewer errors.

Tuks started in the best way possible, scoring their only try in the second minute.

They also built up an early 10-0 lead, but as the game progressed it became evident that Ikeys were adapting better to the difficult playing conditions and also making full use of Tuks' often schoolboy like errors.

Scorers:

FNB Tukkies:
Try: Gerhard van der Merwe
Con: Juan-Claude Roos
Pens: Roos 5

FNB Ikeys:
Tries: Therlow Pietersen, Marcello Sampson
Con: Matthew Rosslee
Pens: Rosslee 4