Easter footy and racing in Hawke's Bay

Havelock North on the attack. Photo / Paul Taylor

Havelock North Wanderers have claimed their first championship point of the Central League football season which saw two matches being played in Hawke's Bay on Sunday.

Playing at Mitre 10 Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park, Hastings, Wanderers drew 1-all with Porirua-based Western Suburbs.

The blue and yellow of Havelock North Wanderers' Jerome Groot (left) and Ben Boxall (right) posed problems for Western Suburbs' Harry Dunn in a 1-all draw in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor

They opened the season being beaten 4-1 by Waterside-Karori, followed by a 3-0 loss hosting the Hawke's Bay local derby against Napier City Rovers, and a 5-0 defeat away to Miramar Ranges in Wellington on Friday.

But the fire is still burning for Napier City Rovers who have kept an unbeaten 2022 Central League record intact with two 2-all Easter weekend draws, both at Bluewater Stadium, Park Island, Napier.

The first was on Friday against Petone, with goals from Liam Schofield, fresh from his hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Havelock North, and the second a match-saver by Harry Mason.

In today's match against North Wellington, Ta Eh Doe equalised late in the first half to make it 1-all at the break, his second goal of the season, having scored in the opening match, a 2-0 away win over Wellington United. It took an 87th minute equaliser from JC Mack to save the game again for the home side.

Meanwhile, a feature of the fine weather in Hastings over the weekend was Cambridge gelding Swords Drawn's win with jockey Joe Kamaruddin in the 2200 metre Hawke's Bay Cup at Hastings on Saturday. Leaderboard (Lisa Alpress) was second and Aquaoir (Matthew Cameron).

Swords Drawn takes out the Hawke's Bay Cup, a race with a history dating back 162 years. Photo / Ian Cooper

There were four Hawke's Bay runners, the best of which was Mohaka in fifth place. The 2500m Poverty Bay Cup was won by Levin-trained 9-year-old The Seagull, and the Power Turf Sprint (1200m) was won by Cambridge-trained Johny Johny, both ridden by Darryl Bradley.