Chiefs battle past Cheetahs
The Chiefs kept their Super 14 semi-final hopes alive with a comfortable 28-10 victory over the Cheetahs at ABSA Park.
Last Updated: 18/04/09 6:10pm
The Chiefs kept their Super 14 semi-final hopes alive with a comfortable 28-10 victory over the Cheetahs at ABSA Park.
Fly-half Stephen Donald fired over 13 points for the visitors and late scores from Serge Lilo and Mike Delany ensured the Chiefs' silverware hopes remain on course.
Cheetahs wing Jonge Nokwe crossed for the hosts' solitary score, however the South Africans failed to follow their shock victory over the Sharks with another win.
In a free-flowing match, the Chiefs dominated all areas from the kick-off and would have been disappointed to go in at half-time 7-6 behind.
Solo try
The Chiefs could only manage two first-half penalties from Donald while the Cheetahs responded with a converted score after speedy winger Nokwe went over in the left corner.
A touchline conversion by Jacques-Louis Potgieter put the hosts 7-3 up before Donald closed the gap to a point on the stroke of half-time.
The Cheetahs' defence was finally breached just after the interval when replacement hooker Hika Elliot wrong footed Meyer Bosman. Donald converted to put the Chiefs 13-7 up.
While the home side closed the gap to three points after a Potgieter penalty, Chiefs responded quickly with a Lilo try and a third penalty from Donald.
After being reduced to 14-men when flanker Heinrich Brussow was sent to the sin-bin, the home side conceded a third try when replacement fly-half Delany scored a superb solo try under the posts and added the conversion.
