After a comprehensive win 55-26 over Bridge Pa last month, Aotea came up against MAC, the other recently elevated team at Rugby Park.
With the premier grade splitting into top and bottom, the top six teams playing off for the Maddison Trophy, the bottom four teams including CHB, Clive, Tamatea and Aotea joined two top second division teams Bridge Pa and MAC to play for the Hepa Paewai Memorial Trophy.
Starting in the style it has displayed recently and with a medium tail wind, Aotea struck first with a Jared Stephenson try under the posts, taking a 7-0 lead and Gene Ropoama added with a bullocking try to make it 12-0.
The lead was not to last as MAC had their own talented backs who punctured the defence to score and convert. Ropoama once again was found unstoppable short of the line, restoring the lead before MAC proved their penetration was not a one-off.