KEY POINTS:
Manawatu's wait for Air NZ Cup rugby success ended today, appropriately at home where their overdue win will be appreciated most.
They beat a bumbling Bay of Plenty 30-18 in Palmerston North to register their first success in 13 Cup matches since the competition was launched last year.
It lifted them off the foot of the standings as they leapt past Bay of Plenty, who now boast that dubious honour after their fourth successive defeat.
The icing for the celebratory cake was applied by young replacement back Andre Taylor late in the game when he scored Manawatu's fourth, and bonus point, try.
That meant their match maul of five points was two more than they managed from nine outings in 2006.
"It's been a long time coming, it is a sweet victory," Manawatu captain Josh Bradnock said.
The result - and what it meant for Manawatu - helped make up for a mediocre match featuring numerous errors from teams placed 13th and 14th heading into the fourth-round encounter.
Manawatu deservedly led 13-8 at halftime and maintained their intensity until the end.
Only a sloppy piece of defending from Manawatu wing Tomasi Cama allowed Bay of Plenty to stay close at the interval, when he thoughtlessly left a big hole in the defensive line which the visitors needed no invitation to take advantage of.
Cama inexplicably came in off his line as Bay of Plenty spun the ball to the left, and fullback Lance MacDonald motored through the empty real estate to score a try in the 38th minute.
Before that, Manawatu were well worth their 13-3 lead, built on enthusiastic defence and a lively attack only lacking finishing touches.
Two penalties from first five-eighth Matty James answered the one from his Bay of Plenty opposite Mike Delany before Manawatu found reward for their endeavour when winger Aaron James scored a try in the 36th minute.
He was the beneficiary of a midfield bust by big second five-eighth Frankie Bryant, who veered to his right to link with the winger.
Cama helped make amends for his first-half gaffe with a try in the 50th minute when he was left to complete some fine work from his insides.
Manawatu quickly shifted their attack from right to left, centre Johnny Leota made the half break and Matty James was on hand to advance the move before flinging the final pass to Cama.
The result was effectively settled in the 64th minute when 135kg replacement prop Talau Hala proved to be an unstoppable object when he detached from a rolling maul and crashed over the line.
The anxiety levels of the Manawatu fans were not allowed to settle, though, as Bay of Plenty responded 4min later when wing Jason Hona scored in the right-hand corner.
The safety zone was reached 9min from fulltime when Taylor showed good handling and pace to enter the line and breach the defence for Manawatu's fourth try.
Hona scored a consolation second for Bay of Plenty after the final hooter but it could not wipe the wide smiles from the faces of Manawatu's players as they left the field.
