Magpies stun Steelers

Chad Shepherd, Hawke's Bay's busy little halfback, enjoyed a triumphant return to his home town of Pukekohe by scoring two tries to inspire the Magpies to a decisive 40-31 win over Counties-Manukau in yesterday's key NPC second division match.

Shepherd, in his third season with the Bay after previously living in Otago studying physical education, started with Counties schoolboy representative sides and grew up with some of yesterday's opposition but that didn't stop him from being ruthless. He and the Magpies were utterly dominant for the first 50 minutes and, taking advantage of some weak Counties defence around the fringes, Shepherd especially, raced away to a big lead.

A shattered Counties side looked on the verge of an embarrassing rout and one which did not augur well, not only for their chances of staying with the Bay in this season's second division race, but next year when they are in the new premier division.

On this performance, the Steelers, unless some reinforcements are found, will be out of their depth. Although they got within nine points of the Bay with a second spell recovery, for which they received a bonus point with four tries, it was a flattering scoreline.

Ten minutes into the second spell with the score 34-3, the Bay coach went to his bench and made four changes simultaneously, taking off two of his most effective players in Shepherd and veteran number eight Mutu Ngarimu.

From then on the Bay lost much of their structure and, while not quite in danger of defeat, might have gifted Counties another bonus point had a shot at goal been taken.

In the first spell and early in the second the Bay looked to be in another league, with the forwards well drilled and the backs with the pace to use the room they created.

Ngarimu, Michael Johnson and Tafai Ioasa were a devastating loose-forward trio and forward pressure brought Shepherd his two tries and with lock Lua Lokotui capping an early attack for a try, the Bay had a 15-0 lead within 10 minutes.

This increased to 20-3 and scintillating breaks by fullback Donovan Nepia and then by right wing Jacob Kennedy for tries by left wing Ray Karauria and lock Bryn Evans meant the lead was seemingly unassailable.

That's how it proved, even if Counties dominated the final 20 minutes, gaining tries in rapid order by wing Tevita Tuifua (2), veteran midfielder Eroni Clarke and the other wing, Leila Masaga.

The Bay have now taken maximum points off what looked the other two front-runners of the division, Nelson Bays and Counties. However, Ratcliffe was only partly happy yesterday.

"We can still do a lot better and those lost 30 minutes have left us with plenty of work to do."

Clarke was one Counties player who could be exempted from censure for some shoddy defence which led to a number of soft Bay tries.

However, coach Mark Carter wasn't deluded by the performance. "We suffered from a lot of poor ball security and poor defence. They are the benchmark team for second division but in the first 60 minutes we didn't help ourselves," he said.

Counties-Manukau 31

(T. Tuifua (2), E. Clarke, M. Masaga tries; T. Nathan 4 cons pen)

Hawke's Bay 40

(C. Shepherd 2, L. Lokotui, B. Evans, R. Karauria tries; D. Nepia 3 cons, pen; A. Clarke 2 pens)

- HERALD ON SUNDAY