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, Tamateaand 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.
Aotea had good control at set piece in the first half.
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.
With the score 21-12 and two minutes from halftime, a Sam Jones special streaked down the grandstand touch to score, giving the halftime lead of 26-12.
He repeated this action soon after into the wind and Aotea appeared to relax at 31-12.
It was a fast-moving second half as MAC used the tail wind.
MAC was beginning to win the forward battle and spinning wide they scored twice in rapid succession to close the gap to 31-22 but a brilliant intercept from a kickoff by Aotea’s winger Jone Tuikoro pushed the gap to 36-22.
As the game proceeded a struggling Aotea defence was matched by increasing MAC energy, very strong running midfielders splitting the home defence resulting in three tries, one of them converted, and the gap just two, 36-34.
The last movement of the game which gave MAC the winning try.
Massive defence by Aotea was mounted but however it was too late as MAC in the last move of the game scored out wide to win 39-36.
Dave Murdoch is a part-time photojournalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.
