Endeavour Hills dasher Michael Tupai scored his side’s sole try in its 17-13 defeat to the Southern Districts at Frog Hollow Reserve on Saturday.By Marc McGowan
DESPITE leading at half-time, Endeavour Hills lost its fourth straight Victorian Rugby Union Premier One encounter at Frog Hollow Reserve on Saturday.
The 17-13 defeat to Southern Districts was the club’s second loss by less than a try in as many weeks.
The Hills fell behind in the sixth minute when the Districts’ opening try was converted.
Endeavour Hills was constantly on the defensive from then on before it began to work itself into the contest midway through the first half.
Tim Finau missed a long penalty to cut the margin back, but Michael Tupai finally rewarded the Hills with a damaging run out wide.
Tupai’s score offered Finau the easiest of conversion chances and although the latter just snuck it inside the uprights, the match was suddenly deadlocked.
The momentum was well and truly with Endeavour Hills and it charged forward relentlessly.
No further points were possible until Junior Salesulu perfectly curled back his penalty kick right on half-time to give the Hills a 10-7 advantage.
The trend looked set to continue when Nepa Faimoa made a barnstorming run early in the second half, but it was the Districts that scored first to snatch back the ascendancy.
Souths kicker Tori Biddle missed the conversion, leaving the fixture 12-10 in the visitors’ favour.
Finau then hit back with a penalty goal to regain the lead for Endeavour Hills, but the Districts crossed again soon after to establish a 17-13 buffer.
The intensity went to another level as the Hills desperately sought the game-winning try.
The two teams engaged in a power struggle on Souths’ line in the final minutes, but despite Endeavour Hills’ best efforts it could not breakthrough.
Hills coach Jeff Lemalu was proud of his side again, but conceded his players must get better when the game is on the line.
“We spoke at half-time about pushing on and finishing it off this time,” he said.
“We have a young team and we need to finish games off when we have the opportunity to do it.”
Most of Lemalu’s praise was lavished on Salesulu and Loni Folau.
“They have been our most key guys in the last three weeks,” he said.
“Our lock Luke (Buckton) has also been doing the hard yards for us and our skipper (Presley Naea) has been doing a lot of tackling and hard stuff as well.”
Endeavour Hills will chase its second triumph of the season when it faces Eltham at Bridge Street from 3.15pm on Saturday.
