Home semi-final chances dented after 24-8 defeat

Wairarapa-Bush's chances of a home semi-final in the Lochore Cup section of the Heartland rugby championship were dented by their 24-8 loss to Poverty Bay in Gisborne on Saturday.
A five-try win over cellar dwellers East Coast in Masterton in the last round of bottom six playoff games next weekend will be absolutely necessary for them to keep such hopes alive and even then other results will need to go their way if they are achieve that objective.
For instance they will require Poverty Bay to lose to Horowhenua-Kapiti at Levin, and pick up no bonus points in the process, and South Canterbury to stumble against Thames Valley in Timaru. Currently Horowhenua-Kapiti top the Lochore Cup points table with 21, followed by Poverty Bay 18, South Canterbury and Wairarapa-Bush 14, Thames Valley 5 and East Coast 0.
Even allowing for Wairarapa-Bush's disappointing formline a defeat against East Coast would be unthinkable when you consider the Coasters have lost all seven of their matches this season and scored just 27 points (including only two tries) while conceding a massive 339.
Most pundits agreed Poverty Bay's winning margin in Gisborne on Saturday did flatter them with Wairarapa-Bush playing with the strong wind at their backs in the first half and spending a good portion of that 40 minutes in opposition territory.
Captain and hooker Joe Harwood looked to have scored a try but the referee somewhat controversially ruled he had been pulled down short of the line a decision very clearly open to debate and on another occasion halfback Nathan Couch came within centimetres of scoring under the sticks.
Unfortunately for Wairarapa-Bush then they could not turn their territorial dominance into points on the board and even more unfortunately a couple of defensive lapses let Poverty Bay in for two converted tries in the closing stages of that first spell, thereby allowing them the comfort of a 14-0 advantage at the break.
The second half saw Poverty Bay take the territorial edge thanks to the wind but while they again outscored Wairarapa-Bush the latter made some useful attacking plays, one of which saw replacement Richard Puddy held up on the line.
A Patrick Rimene penalty finally got them on the board and they had the consolation of scoring the game's final try, midfielder Junior Togia taking toll of a clearing kick being charged down.
Wairarapa-Bush coach Kelvin Tantrum was pleased his side had lifted their effort several notches from that which produced a forgettable one-point victory against Thames Valley the previous weekend.
Up against a big and mobile Poverty Bay pack the Wairarapa-Bush forwards had more than held their own in the scrums and gained at least parity in the lineouts.
"The set pieces were probably as good as they have been," Tantrum said.
Old hands Harwood and lock Tomasi Kedrabuka were two of the standouts for Wairarapa-Bush up front while Joe Feast, in only his second start on the openside flank, made a good impression as well.
The introduction of John Guillard to the midfield backs was also a success for Wairarapa-Bush with Guillard making a decent contribution on attack and defence and Mike Hollis was a lively halfback when he joined the fray in the second spell.
Hooker Michael Broadhurst scored two tries for Poverty Bay and Coll Campbell one. Astute first-five Scott Leighton added one penalty and three conversions.