Kamo centre Kurt Benny slips off the tackle of Western Shark wing Mika Saurara during the Bayleys Southern Districts Premier competition on Saturday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Kamo centre Kurt Benny slips off the tackle of Western Shark wing Mika Saurara during the Bayleys Southern Districts Premier competition on Saturday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
For all the pressure they applied and all the chances they had, Kamo was once again unable to close out the match at home in the Bayleys Southern Districts' Premier rugby on Saturday.
It was a game that was a bit loose at times but always compelling and the Western Sharks were a bit more clinical and composed at critical moments, especially in the final quarter to win 43-36.
They won on the back of their ambition and relentless desire to keep the ball moving and hunt for space.
Former Fijian sevens playmaker Emosi Vucago had a quiet game at halfback for the Western Sharks but gained an extra leg when moved to the centre and was instrumental in setting up two tries in the second half.
His vision, sleight of hand, and link up with No8 Matt Matich and left wing David Harris when on attack stretched the Kamo defence at times who had to scramble fast enough to close them down.
What will trouble the hosts is that they fired shots, had plenty of ball, territory and opportunities, but for the second week in a row, didn't have control or clinical touch.
Even when Western Sharks' lock Peter Bond was sin-binned for a high tackle on Kamo centre Kurt Benny midway in the second spell, the hosts should have screwed the nut tighter and ramped up the pressure.
But instead, their decision-making was pretty poor and a bench devoid of players with the x-factor didn't help.
Kamo halfback Mac Sykes gets ready to deliver a pass during the team's premier rugby game against Western Sharks on Saturday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The more confidence Western Sharks gained in the dying stages, the more Kamo drifted out of the game and their accuracy and cohesion slipped.
Kamo ran the visitors ragged for most of the first half and, most importantly, had built a decent 27-14 lead at the breather.
Which is why they weren't anything but bitterly disappointed at the way they allowed Western Sharks to come back into the game and win.
Blindside flanker Josh Te Whata scored the first try for the Western Sharks from a rolling maul after Benny had earlier won a lineout about 10m from the Kamo tryline.
No10 Tom Herman closed the gap for Kamo from a penalty five minutes later.
Benny nearly scored for Kamo after scurrying on the blindside but knocked the ball metres from the tryline.
His side scored two tries in six minutes to push the score to 17-7 and nearly added the third a short time later when halfback Mac Sykes broke free on the right flank after receiving an inside pass, but slipped as the Western Sharks defence closed in on him.
Kamo added another penalty before Michael Frood scored for the visitors on the stroke of halftime.
Western Sharks centre Steve Grobler's try was followed by Vucago nailing an ambitious 47m penalty which swung the score 30-21 in Western Sharks' favour. Five minutes later, Vucago pounced on a charged-down kick and scooted about 45m to score.
Another Fijian, wing Mika Saurara, touched down a minute later before fullback Tony Stokes and No8 Matt Matich got on the scoreboard.
