Southern deserved win over Western in 1975......

Southern scored a deserved win over Western in a close game with Western leading most of the game but letting the win slip at the last moments.

​Southern scored two tries later in the game, but it was not this that distracted Western from a win, and they were hot on attack when the final whistle blew.  It ended with Jeff Gardiner attempting a drop goal which did not score and maybe if they had of run the ball it might have been a different story.
Western opened the scoring with a drop goal from B. Thompson and Keiren Fahy from Southern levelled the scores with a penalty goal.
The Western forwards then used their power to rush the Southerners and this resulted in M. Harris, No. 8 scoring with Alan Pennicott converting, and then was successful with a penalty goal.
Southern ran the short side with Shane O'Donnell passing to Gerald Dermody who raced for the line.  
Murray Heath could not control the ball and Rex Duncan kicked through and won the race to score the try.  The conversion by Southern's Keiren Fahy put them ahead 13-12.  Peter Webb then scored a try for Southern, which was knocked on along the ground but not picked up by the ref.  Stuart Dermody stood out i the Southern pack along with R. Kingdon, and Kevin Stevenson at first five eight found some good gaps through the Western defence.  Les O'Donnell fed his back line well and controlled the ball with fine handling skills.
Alan Ronald at the loose for Western tidied up well and shone in the rucks and setting the ball up for  his forwards.  M. Harris supported him all day and  his try was a combined effort.
Murray Heath ran well behind the scrum but his team seemed to lose their way in the second half.
Reference:  The Southland Times July 1975....