Carterton's three tries enough to take crown

Carterton scored three unan-swered tries to beat Masterton Red Star 15-0 in the grand final of the Wairarapa-Bush premier division competition at Memorial Park, Masterton, on Saturday.
It was a thoroughly deserved championship crown for Carterton, whose only losses over the 2010 season came in their first two matches of qualifying round play.
It was a disastrous start for a side very early touted as the competition favourites after recruiting well through the off season, but they recovered brilliantly to win 17 of their next 18 matches and draw the other.
Saturday's victory for the Maroons did not, however, come as comfortably as the end scoreline might suggest.
They did post 10 early points through well-taken tries to wingers Charlie Brown and Lance Stevenson, but for most of the first half they struggled to get any real momentum into their performance through constantly earning the ire of referee Chris Jefferies at tackle and maul situations.
The number of penalties they conceded in that first 40 minutes would have run into double figures and meant a backline which looked full of tricks seldom had the opportunity to really stretch their legs in attack. Brown's try came after fullback Jono Hurley had made the extra man and given the slightly-built winger the necessary space for a successful dash to the line, while Stevenson's was created by a well-timed pass from hooker Joe Harwood to centre Tommy Harmon. He bumped off three or four would-be tacklers before unloading to Stevenson, who did the rest.
Masterton Red Star, for their part, would have looked back on a first half in which their forwards probably gained parity with their Carterton counterparts after a sluggish start but where their backs lacked the punch to make much headway against a stout Carterton defence.
Missing a couple of relatively easy penalty attempts didn't help their cause, as had they been converted, there would have been only a slender margin between the two sides going to the break.
The second spell was similar to the first in that whereas Masterton Red Star were often camped deep in Carterton territory thanks to the vigour of their forwards, they could not get themselves over the line. But Carterton managed one further try, a brilliant solo effort by flanker Brock Price, who jumped high to field a wobbly kick close to the sideline and dashed 30m for the try. There was some suspicion the ball had gone out of play and a couple of Masterton Red Star defenders did seem to slow as a consequence, but the match officials were happy everything was in order and that was that.
Individually several players put their hands up to be seriously considered for Wairarapa-Bush's Heartland championship squad due to be named within the next fortnight, none more so than Tommy Harmon, who was influential for Carterton in the midfield. The steadiness of Justin Lett at halfback and Jono Hurley at fullback was also a major plus for the maroons, as was the hefty punting of first-five Tipene Haira, who never allowed the fast-breaking Masterton Red Star loosies to unsettle him in tight defensive situations. Second-five Matt Harrison did blot his copybook when he was sin-binned, but will be forgiven after making a spectacular try-saving tackle late in the first half.
The Carterton forwards never gained their expected dominance up front but they still gave about as good as they received. Front rowers Dylan Higginson and Joe Harwood grafted away in typically honest fashion, as did lock Tomasi Kedrabuka, while there was a lot to like about the work of loosies Mike Wakefield and Brock Price.
Masterton Red Star could not have expected any more from their pack who, apart from the opening 10 minutes, were all fire and aggression. Lock Tyrone McTavish was outstanding with his high work-rate in the lineouts and broken play, hooker Tim Grooby made several rampaging bursts and the loose trio of Chris Senior, Jordan Sutherland and Geordie McCallum were inspirational with their support play on attack and their commitment on defence.
There is no question that the loss of regular first-five Byron Karaitiana through suspension did hurt Masterton Red Star. Their backs lacked direction in his absence and seldom were their attacking skills on display. Gutsy halfback Callum Buchanan and hard-running midfielder Mike Chrisohoou were the pick of them.
The final of the senior reserves grade between Eketahuna and Pioneer was marred by a brawl late in the game which involved most players from both sides and ended with one player from either team being sent packing by referee Shay O'Gorman. He had not long earlier given another Pioneer player the same treatment, which meant they finished the match with only 13 players on the park.
Pioneer went into the final as warm favourites but, as it happened, it was Eketahuna who called the tune from almost go to whoa through the marked superiority of their forwards. They ran out easy 36-3 winners, scoring six tries, three of which were converted.
The senior reserves plate final was closely contested, Marist beating Featherston 6-5, while the premier division plate was won by Gladstone by default from Marist, who were decimated by injuries and unavailabilities.