North Harbour too good for Mooloo men

North Harbour 25 Waikato 6

North Harbour outgunned Waikato by three tries to nil to win their NPC division one encounter 25-6 at North Harbour Stadium today.

The highly-fancied Mooloo men chalked up the first points of the game with a penalty to David Hill
After 25 minutes.

Waikato looked to be taking that three-point lead into the break before North Harbour first-five Willie Walker converted his own try to give the home side a 7-3.

The first 20 minutes of the second half passed with neither side adding to the scoreboard, until another Hill penalty put Waikato within a point of the northerners.

But two North Harbour tries, to Matua Parkinson and Rico Gear, effectively shut out any chance for Waikato.

Two Botica penalties sealed victory for the home side.

In today's other first division match, Canterbury beat Northland 26-18 in Whangarei.

In division two, East Coast beat Wanganui 31-24 in Ruatoria, while in Blenheim, Hawke's Bay beat Marlborough 30-16.