Tuataras keep hold of Challenge Shield — just
The Taieri Tuataras defended the Challenge Shield when an Oliver Battrick double dragged them to a 2-2 draw against the Kings United Cobras as the Otago premier men's competition resumed on Saturday.
With the game falling at the end of the university break, Taieri were missing a few of their star players, which had many predicting them to lose the shield they have held for nearly two years.
Naturally, when Charles Darling flicked home inside the first five minutes, it seemed a shield heist was firmly on the cards.
The challengers remained on the front foot, but were unable to double their lead, despite a couple of close shaves for the Taieri defence.
Against the run of play, the Tuataras equalised, as Battrick got away a powerful drag flick, which flew through traffic into the back of the net.
In the heat, fitness would be key in the second half, but it seemed Kings just wanted it more, as their edge in the game continued into the third quarter.
They knocked on the door, and eventually they caught Taieri napping, as Sam Gradwell scored from close range to restore Kings' lead.
Kings took that and ran with it, growing in confidence.
They possibly should have doubled their lead, but they missed a couple of gilt-edged opportunities and it ultimately came back to bite them.
With six and a-half minutes remaining, Battrick took the ball on the counter-attack, charging into the left of the circle, before unleashing a rocket on his reverse that would have beaten any keeper, as it smashed in off the inside of the post.
Kings pulled their keeper and desperately chased a winner, but they could not find it.
An extra competition point by winning the shootout was some consolation, but it was the Tuataras who walked away the happier side.
Battrick was of course immense, but playing nearly the whole game, plenty of credit needs to go Taieri defensive duo Zeke Buschl and Baxter Meder, who cleaned up all the messes at the back.
For Kings, Nick Casey was busy up front, while Gordy Chatfield caused plenty of issues with his towering overheads.
With the Southland Barbarians defaulting to the University Panthers, there was just one other premier men's game, the Albany Alligators beating the University Whales 3-2.
It was a brave effort from the Whales, who were down on numbers, but they could not quite keep up with Albany's impressive strike line.
In the premier women's competition, a fast start got the job done for the City Highlanders who scored three goals in the first quarter to set up a 3-1 win over Momona.
Momona fought hard, getting one back in the third quarter, but it was ultimately to big a mountain to climb.
The other two games were fairly one-sided with the Kings United Royals smoking the Taieri Tigers 5-0, and the University Huskies beating the University Stingrays by the same score.
By Nicholas Friedlander
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