Narrow loss for Northland in front of a partisan crowd

Action between Northland and Waikato at Semenoff Stadium in round two of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC. Photo /Tania Whyte

Waikato withstood a late onslaught to edge Northland 16-10 in the second round of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC in Whangārei this evening.

But it was a different story in the Farah Palmer Cup as the Northland Kauri got back to winning ways, beating North Harbour 27-23. The match preceded the NPC game.

In the NPC, it was a classic game of two halves and for all the territory and possession the visitors enjoyed in the second half, they could only manage one try after trailing 10-6 at the breather.

Alecia Proctor fends off a North Harbour defender in her team's win in the Farah Palmer Cup match. Photo / Tania Whyte

Northland started strongly, scoring through fullback Josh Moorby in just the third minute, and used the width of the field to good effect when on attack. The team's line speed on defence troubled Waikato.

Set piece, particularly lineout, floundered on occasions in handy positions as Northland searched for more tries but the Mooloos scrambled well in defence.

The visitors had two tries disallowed and once knocked the ball on, on the tryline in slippery conditions on a drizzly evening at Semenoff Stadium.

Just as the Taniwha started strongly in the opening half, Waikato touched down five minutes after the breather through hooker Rhys Marshall who took a quick tap after Northland halfback Sam Nock was penalised for holding on to the ball in front of the posts.

Injured All Black Jack Goodhue took the field in the 50th minute for Northland and had he held on to the ball in Waikato's 22 with time almost up, and a vocal crowd getting behind their team, the final result may have been different.

Northland's next match is against Wellington in Porirua next weekend.