Eventually, skipper Cam Ravenwood turned this pressure into a try from a scrum move and then, after a Griffith penalty, advanced the score to a seemingly comfortable 22-0, Wellington finally got their first points on the board with a try.
However, their jubilation was short lived with Wairarapa scoring their fourth try through Croydon Hall virtually from the resumption of play.
The closing stanzas provided some anxious moments for Wairarapa players and supporters when prop Taine Hintz was sinbinned for continual infringement and Wellington applied pressure by running in two quick tries.
But Wairarapa held strong and a memorable 27-24 win was achieved.
Making the result especially rewarding for Wairarapa College coach Chris Senior was that a lot of time had been spent going over the reasons for their losses in their previous two games to the two top teams on the competition ladder, and the study had paid obvious dividends.
"We identified big issues in our broken defence and also our option-taking and it was pleasing to see us do so much better in defence and in building phases of play," Senior said.
Exciting as the win was, however, Senior was also quick to emphasise that it alone would not make for a successful season.
"We need to make sure we back up this performance in the games ahead," he said.
The Wairarapa College squad leave ON Friday for a tournament in Australia.
