League: Panthers sneak win

A 35-metre field goal by Charles Shelford sealed a win for Portland Panthers two minutes from time in their crossover match against Hokianga Pioneers.

The 27-20 win was a close run thing. Before the kick sailed over, you would have been hard pressed to find even the most ardent Portland fan who would have bet against the Pioneers somehow sneaking a result in the hotly contested Northland Rugby League premier match.

Portland made all of the running in the first half of the game. Tries to skipper Robert Nathan, Mike Salase and Reece Birmingham saw them deservedly ahead 16-0 with five minutes to go before the break.

The Pioneers had failed to gel in attack, coughing up too much ball to seriously threaten the Portland line until some ill-discipline from their hosts gave them an opportunity to strike back. Like the Pioneers of old they needed no further invitations.

Hokianga captain Richard Koroi stepped through a flat defence to score the first try before they chanced their arm on the hooter, spinning the ball wide for winger Billy Zachan to score a second in the corner.

With Verne Wilson landing a wide kick the 16-12 half-time margin flattered the Pioneers but a well deserved try in their first possession of the second spell, further quietened the Portland crowd as the visitors drew level.

The pressure began to tell with both sides failing to get to their kicks as the error count climbed. Hokianga scored a try - which was then disallowed - before Portland's Fabian Flavell scored to get the crowd back in the game. Leroy Broughton-Rankin, who was outstanding for Portland, also crossed for a deserved try but in what might have been a levelling up exercise by the referee it was also disallowed.

The Portland skipper then pounced on a well placed grubber into the in-goal to give Portland breathing space at 26-16 but that was never going to deter the Pioneers from another fightback. Mike Cuttle powered over to score in the corner with just under 10 to go and with the visitors beginning to get their offloads going, a penalty on halfway was an ominous sign for the Panthers with just four minutes to go.

It looked like the Portland defence would be severely tested again but unfortunately Koroi, in a rare mistake, couldn't find touch and Portland then carefully closed the game out with Shelford's field goal giving them a seven-point win.

The win delighted Nathan who said they had lost enough games this season after choking with time almost up.

"It was great for us to be able to close out the game today and I hope it will be a good benchmark for us for the rest of the season because we've lost too many games in the final quarter," he said.

He said there was still plenty to work on, particularly the way they allowed the Pioneers to come back at the end of the first spell after dominating the half completely.

"But I suppose that's good for us in a way - we don't want it too flawless - otherwise we won't have anything to train on," he joked.

For Hokianga coach Phil Marsh it was one that got away. He said the side had been struggling for consistency all season and he was surprised they were still in the match at halftime.

"The boys showed that they can play well today but it's a matter of producing that sort of form more often during a game," he said.

In other matches Northern Wairoa beat Kerikeri Slayers 60-18, while Hora Hora defeated Otaua Valley 46-28 and Takahiwai completed the Southern sweep by beating Muriwhenua Kuaka 68-16.