Wyndham delivers 370 wakeup call
WYNDHAM has made its loudest statement yet in Southland’s Division One competition.
However, coach Casey Robertson was trying to keep a lid on Saturday’s stunning performance.
Wyndham crushed previous competition leader Midlands 370, as the Eastern Southland club’s stocks rise in the Division One competition while Midlands’ wobbles continued.
Midlands won its first seven games of the season and was the talk of the competition.
However, it has lost its past three outings and the loss on Saturday at Wyndham was the most alarming.
Robertson, a former Black Fern No 8, was pleased with how her team was developing.
But she said there would still need to be more improvement if it was to be a genuine title threat this season.
‘‘Midlands were obviously missing some key players,’’ she said.
‘‘Both McKercher boys were out, so that is their first and second five.
‘‘We had a bit of a slow start to the season but the last few weeks we have started to come right.
‘‘We will have to keep building.’’
All four Division One games produced 30plus margins on Saturday, which included Waikaka grabbing the top spot in the competition standings.
After dropping its first two games of the season, Waikaka has won eight on the trot, the latest a 387 win over Te Anau.
Riversdale also looms as a real threat after again impressing on Saturday with a 365 win over Mossburn.
As expected, Edendale was able to pick up a 337 win over Waiau Star.
Saturday marked the start of the next phase of Southland’s Division Two competition, where the top six teams have united in the top grade and the bottom six teams in a different grade.
In the top division, leading teams Blues and AlbionExcelsior squared off in an intriguing battle and it was the Invercargillbased club, Blues, who claimed the bragging rights with a 2017 victory.
Star travelled across town in Invercargill to pick up a 5721 win over Waikiwi, while in the other Division Two Section A fixture, Pioneer ran out 4824 victor against Wakatipu.
In section B, Marist picked up a 4422 win over DrummondLimehillsStar and Riverton pipped Tokanui 3431.
Otautau and Collegiate’s 2018 seasons are playing out in vastly different circumstances and that showed in Division Three action on Saturday.
The unbeaten Otautau, which has mustered a strong squad, ran out 920 winner over a Collegiate team which is yet to win a game this season and is struggling for playing numbers.
Mataura again impressed in its 310 win over BalfourLumsden, while OhaiNightcaps scored a 3919 win over Bush Pirates in the third Division Three fixture.