East Rand United beats Vereeniging
Reiger Park outfit East Rand United continued to defy the odds in this year’s Peregrine League as they defeated Vereeniging 23-22 at their Reiger Park Sports Ground home on Saturday (June 11).
In a largely disciplined showing, United were gifted for their grit as they went into the half-time break with an impressive 13-3 lead.
Following an absorbing and cagey few opening minutes, Cameron Lentoor broke the deadlock from a penalty in front of the posts after an obstruction call against the visitors.
Fly-half Duane Brown scored the game’s first try moments later after capitalising on United’s first real chance of the match. Lentoor slotted the subsequent conversion to give the home side a great start with a 10-0 lead.
Such was the tightness of the match, the first real chance to score a try arrived well around the midpoint of the opening stanza of the clash, which resembled a Test match.
Vereeniging inevitably responded after United’s try and they camped in front of the United try-line for a good 10-or-so minutes but the home side, driven by their raucous crowd and defending their unbeaten record at their home dubbed the Graveyard, defended like their lives depended on it.
The side’s two kickers went on to exchange penalties, with the Vereeniging kick being the last action of the first-half.
Lentoor continued to keep the scoreboard ticking for United following the break and scored his 15th try of the season before converting his own touchdown.
He also knocked over his third penalty.
The visitors outscored United 19-10 in the second-half but the home side held on for the famous win.
“We were prepared and we were confident,” said United boss Derrick Sampson.
“We told each other that it’s vital that we win. We worked on our confidence and fixed our defence, we were closing spaces and the guys defended like tigers.
“We’ve been also working on our fitness to cover the pitch over 80 minutes, all the guys were giving it 100 per cent,” explained Sampson.
“We’re targeting to win every game at home. If we beat Brakpan, the tables in this league will turn.
“We’re making history; we’re the first team from the Merlin League to beat the top teams in the Peregrine League.
Sampson’s opposite, Fanie van Wyk, also gave props to the home side.
“East Rand United played well, they used their chances and we didn’t. We lost the ball about four times in front of their try-line and you can’t win like that,” said the tutor.
“We were going there to win but they really played well.
“We were well-received, nice venue and they deserved to win,” summed up the coach.
United remain undefeated in Reiger Park.
Their only home loss this season was against Boksburg but the fixture was not played in Reiger Park. – @SabeloBoksburg
