A last-gasp try allowed the Cheetahs to snatch a dramatic 24-17 win over the Isuzu Southern Kings in a thrilling Guinness PRO14 rugby clash at the Madibaz Stadium on Friday.
The Cheetahs broke Kings hearts with a try after the hooter had sounded.
The teams were level at 1717 after referee Quinton Immellman awarded a penalty try to the Kings with eight minutes left.
With the game up for grabs, both teams threw everything into attack in a desperate bid to snatch a late win.
The Cheetahs led 7-0 at the break, but the Kings struck first in the second period with a try by flyhalf Ntabeni Dukisa.
The Cheetahs struck back immediately when powerful prop Ox Nche drove forward, allowing Junior Pokomela to crash over the line.
That score, converted by Tian Schoeman, put the Cheetahs ahead 14-7.
In what was turning out to be a tight game, the Cheetahs stretched their lead to 17-10 after 63 minutes when Benhard Janse van Rensburg succeeded with a penalty.
In the first half it did not take elusive Cheetahs wing Rabz Maxwane long to stretch his legs and to let the crowd know why he is the competition’s leading try-scorer.
In the opening minutes the Cheetahs flyer tore through Kings defence and it required desperate last-ditch defence to keep the aggressive visitors at bay.
Livewire Maxwane, however, refused to be denied and he had his ninth try of the tournament after seven minutes when he raced through the home team’s defence.
With Schoeman adding the extras, the Cheetahs found themselves with an early 7-0 advantage.
The Cheetahs dominated territory in the opening exchanges and the Kings defence was put under unrelenting pressure.
Cheetahs captain Tian Meyer was yellow-carded by referee Quinton Immelman in the 17th minute, but the Kings were unable to make their numerical advantage count.
Scorers
Southern Kings 17: Tries: Ntabeni Dukisa, penalty try (worth 7 points). Conversion: Masixole Banda. Penalty: Masixole Banda
Cheetahs 24: Tries Rabz Maxwane, Junior Pokomela, Luan de Bruin. Conversions: Tian Schoeman (2), Louis Fouche. Penalty: Benhard Janse van Rensburg