The Keech Australia Bendigo Fighting Miners rugby team scored an upset one-point win over Kiwi Hawthorn on Saturday.
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The Miners were rank outsiders against the second-placed Kiwi Hawthorn and their cause wasn’t helped when skipper Blake Theunissen sat out the first half due to a shoulder injury.
Kiwi Hawthorn opened the scoring with a try after only four minutes. The visitors stretched the lead to 12-3 before Bendigo struck back with tries to Josephar Maiai and David Mcdonald. However, Kiwi Hawthorn regained the lead with a try seconds before half-time.
Kiwi Hawthorn stretched the lead to 26-17 early in the second half, but the injection of Theunissen lifted Bendigo. Tries to Johneen Fagavao and Ryan Spedding gave the Miners a 32-26 lead.
A Kiwi Hawthorn try in the dying seconds gave the visitors a chance, but their conversion attempt went wide and Bendigo celebrated a famous 32-31 win.
The Manchester Arms player of the day was Liliva. Others to shine were Leu Poto, Spedding, Nick Wall, Gerritt Maiai and Mcdonald.