LEAGUE: One point loss as bench woes plague Slayers

Things just did not go Bay Slayers' way during a nailbiting semifinal clash against Portland Panthers, who stole the show with a field goal in the closing minutes to win 31-30.
Portland will now go head to head with minor premiers Hikurangi Stags in the Whangarei City and Districts Rugby League grand final at Jubilee Park on Saturday.
Bay Slayers had only one reserve on the bench and battled their way through the second round of playoffs after going down to the Stags last weekend.
"Some of our guys missed some games due to work and what not, so had not played the seven from the last 11 rounds," a disappointed Bay Slayers manager Justin Webster said.
"We had dispensation letters for them but the board [WCDRL] did not accept them so we had to play with no bench. The guys played a mean game of football considering, but it's hard to win semifinals footy without a bench."
Of those 14 men, several played with niggling injuries and Webster was impressed with how the team lifted. Standoff half Anthony Clyde directed his team, while forwards Troy Alderton and Darren Himiona shone for the Slayers, who finished the regular season in second spot.
Portland, who had defeated Kaikohe in the first round of playoffs, opened the scoring at Takahiwai on Saturday, before the Bay boys came back to lead 10-18 at halftime.
Midway through the second half, the Slayers led 20-30 but the effect of having no bench started to tell and they let Portland's halfback Kass Wall run in two quick tries to level the score.
With everything at stake in the last 10 minutes, Bay Slayers attempted a field goal but muffed it, while Portland's Charles Shelford had a crack, and nailed a field goal to take the one point all-important victory, with a couple of minutes left on the clock. Second rower Michael Salase had an impressive game, earning him player of the day status.
"It was pretty full on in those last two minutes," a relieved Portland coach Craig Bird said.
"The boys played well. It went right to the end but we go the win and we're in the grand final, so that's the main thing."
Last time Portland played in the grand final was 1995, when they defeated Takahiwai.
"We will be up against it with Hikurangi. They've been up there for the past few years, but we will throw everything we have at it and play for 80 minutes," Bird said.
The WCDRL final between Portland and Hikurangi will be played on Saturday at Jubilee Park, kicking off at 2.30pm.