North Otago still on top after beating Poverty Bay

7.00pm

NORTH OTAGO 49 POVERTY BAY 32

North Otago remained on top of the NPC third division rugby competition after a 49-32 win over a spirited Poverty Bay side in Oamaru today.

Poverty Bay mixed some spoiling first-half play with several sparkling backline moves in the second-half as they hunted for an upset victory.

North Otago had to rely on all their big guns to keep ahead of the visitors, who trailed by just 13-10 at halftime.

Poverty Bay first five-eighth Denis Hune opened the scoring with an early penalty. They held out until the 12th minute, when outstanding North Otago blindside flanker Ray O'Fisa sent first five-eighth Tevita Asi in for a try in the corner.

Powerhouse centre Fepikou Tatafu opened up the midfield for the home team's second try, before his Poverty Bay counterpart, Andrew Powdrell, strolled through a gap to tie the game up at 10-10 after 20 minutes. North Otago added a penalty before the break as Poverty Bay pushed the patience of referee Josh Noonan.

Veteran halfback Trevor Crosby was sin-binned immediately after the break for constant infringing, which precipitated a North Otago points binge. They piled on 31 points in 20 minutes after the break, with winger Ofa Latu running in two tries, while impressive second five-eighth Mike Mavor was also rewarded with a try.

Ahead 44-10, the locals went to sleep as the twinkle-toed Poverty Bay backline hit back with four tries of their own. Teenage replacement winger Hosea Gear, a protege of Gisborne Boys' High School, embarrassed the North Otago defence on several occasions as the visitors went away with a well deserved bonus point.

North Otago 49 (O Latu 2, S Kotua, F Tatafau, M Mavor, T Asi, R O'Fisa tries, S Porter four conv, pen, R Gutsell pen)

Poverty Bay 32 (W Banks, J Moeke, A Powdrell, M Morrissey E Afoa tries, D Hune pen, two conv).

Halftime: North Otago 13-10.

- OAMARU MAIL