League: Visitors make Northern Swords pay for errors

CHARGE: Northern Swords player Andre Lennox has a full head of steam as he takes on the defence during yesterday's 50-4 loss to Wai-Coa-Bay at Toll Stadium.PHOTO/JOHN STONE

There was still plenty of heat in the hits despite the chilly conditions at Toll Stadium between the Northern Swords and the Wai-Coa-Bay Stallions, with the visitors claiming the win 50-4.

The Swords were made to pay for their mistakes, and some poor tackles, as the Stallions eventually ran away with their Pirtek NZRL National Premiership match.

However, it certainly wasn't all one-way traffic yesterday with the score at one point being 10-4.

Swords centre Caleb Henare was on hand out wide to reel in an offload to score his side's only points and give his side a fighting chance at the time.

Throughout the match the Swords had opportunities to score - but often a knock on, poor kick, or lack of awareness with the tackle count meant easy turnover ball for their rivals.

Regular hard worker and captain Joel Freeman was again busy around the park, along with Te Tuhi Tipene, who regularly gained big metres when he took the handbrake off.

Yesterday's match was all too familiar to the Swords who have been often in contention in games this season, only for the flood gates to open and the scoreline to blow out.

Swords coach Mark Freeman will rightfully be disappointed to see the same result from a game which was meant to be their best chance of winning a match for the remainder of the season.

Nevertheless, the Swords must now regroup and prepare themselves for this Sunday's match against Akarana at Toll Stadium.

Sunday's match will be the Swords final home game of the season, with the entertaining Frings Northland Breweries "Trade of Origin" games serving as curtain raisers.

The Swords 15s and 17s teams also suffered defeats yesterday at the hands of their Wai-Coa-Bay opponents.