Last gasp try secures Stormers win over Reds

Stormers 29 Reds 27

GEORGE - A converted Bobby Skinstad try in injury time gave the Stormers a 29-27 victory over the Reds in this morning's Super 12 match.

The former Springbok number eight cut in on the angle for a try that levelled the scores at 27-27 five minutes into time added on.

Flyhalf Braam van Straaten calmly slotted the conversion to give his side only their second win the Super 12 competition this season.

The Reds outscored the Stormers by four tries to two and secured two bonus points, while the Stormers took home four points for the win.

The home side raced into a 16-0 lead in the first quarter of the match through three van Straaten penalties and a converted try from centre Robbie Fleck.

The Reds got on the board with a try from hooker Michael Foley who drove over from a lineout.

Reds flyhalf Nathan Spooner converted and added a penalty after another van Straaten penalty, which saw the Reds trailing 19-10 at the break.

Van Straaten missed two kickable penalty attempts in the first six minutes of the second half, which shifted the momentum of the match towards the Australians.

And they capitalised on that in the 51st minute, when Reds fullback Chris Latham scored in the corner after a sweeping backline move that brought his side to within two points.

Reds scrumhalf Sam Cordingly - playing his first match of the 2001 Super 12 - was sin-binned in the 46th minute for tripping Stormers wing Breyton Paulse.

But his absence seemed to lift the Reds and Fijian halfback Jacob Rauluni stayed even when Cordingly's time was up.

The Reds took the lead for the first time in the match on the hour when Spooner chased through a chip kick that bounced kindly for him and deceived the covering Fleck.

Two minutes later Van Straaten slotted his fifth penalty to draw the scores level at 22-22.

But ten minutes from the end the Reds took a five point lead with their fourth try, which went to lock Nathan Sharpe.

He scored in the right-hand corner from a five-metre scrum to set up a thrilling finale.

The home team threw everything at the Reds and finally broke down the hitherto rigid defence to register a valuable win.

Stormers 29: Tries: Robbie Fleck, Bob Skinstad. Cons: Braam van Straaten (2). Pens: Van Straaten (5)

Reds 27: Tries: Michael Foley, Chris Latham, Nathan Spooner, Nathan Sharpe. Cons: Spooner (2). Pens: Spooner.

Halftime: Stormers 19-10

- REUTERS