Counties Manukau beat Manawatu

By DAVID LEGGAT

COUNTIES MANUKAU 28 MANAWATU 19

Counties Manukau kicked off their NPC second division campaign with a deserved 28 - 19 win over Manawatu at Pukekohe Stadium today.

Counties Manukau made good use of a strong wind in the first half to be 20-3 ahead at the interval. Manawatu closed the gap to 25-19 with five minutes left however a penalty by replacement first-five-eighths Quinton Sanft made the game safe for the home side.

Manawatu would have secured a bonus point had first-five-eighths Anthony Papenfus not pushed a 30m penalty shot in front of the posts out to the left with the last kick of the game.

Counties Manukau 28

Tries - Amasio Valence, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ramon Lindsay
Penalties - Stephen Donald (2), Quinton Sanft
Conversions - Stephen Donald

Manawatu 19

Tries - Aaron Palmer
Penalties - Anthony Papenfus (4)
Conversions - Anthony Papenfus

Half time - Counties Manukau 20 Manawatu 3