THE Bendigo Fighting Miners lived up to their name, with a hard-fought win in Saturday’s rugby union match against the Border Army Dogs in Wodonga.

The Miners, led by captain Steve MacDonald, produced one of the greatest away wins in the club’s 40-year history.

An undermanned Bendigo side started with fierce forward hit-ups, and pressure was applied by both forward packs.

Border opened the scoring with Bendigo giving a penalty away inside their own half.

Shortly after Border did the same thing and scores were three-all by the 20th minute.

The Miners’ forward pack started to dominate play and eventually scored three tries before half-time.

Daniel Fallaver, Allan Saville and Jesse Tuitupou all ran in tries which were converted by fullback Josh Manderson.

By half-time, Bendigo led 24-3.

Early in the second, Border Army gained the upper hand with one try and one converted try to trail 24-15.

With 20 minutes remaining, hard running centre Konrad Fepuleai burst through the Dogs’ defence to score beside the posts, with Manderson adding the extras to lead 31-15.

The last period of play was a test of wills, with two evenly matched squads playing hard-running rugby. The Dogs scored a converted try before classy five-eighth Jon Solomon scored a try to leave the Miners ahead at 36-24.

“This was one of the of the greatest away wins in Bendigo rugby history,” coach Alan Wilkinson said.

“The Miners have turned the corner.

“The playing group has realised that they can contest the finals.”

Scorers for Bendigo: D. Fallver, A. Saville, J. Tuitupou, K.Fepuleai, Jon Solomon all with one try each,

J. Manderson four conversions one penalty .

Tyson’s Reef Hotel player of the day was Nick Poingdestre.

Other players to shine for the Miners were Elson Tuitupou, Leif Eriksen, brothers Jon and Jeremy Solomon and the back rowers Allan Saville, Daniel Fallaver and Shane McGrail.

The Miners are on the road again this Saturday to play the ladder-leading Cobram Dust Devils.