Mikaera Hemara in action for Te Awamutu Sports Development. Photo / Justin Miezenbeek
Mikaera Hemara in action for Te Awamutu Sports Development. Photo / Justin Miezenbeek
Ecolab Te Awamutu Sports had their chances but will rue the lack of polish and finishing that led to their 12-17 defeat to Waipā neighbours Hautapu in a torrid encounter at Cambridge on Saturday.
Despite the loss, they still managed to hold firm in the top five.
Sports scored two tries through Carl Finlay and Sam Toa, with Toa also adding a conversion in a game where they seemed just slightly off, but still managed to push the second-placed Hautapu to their limits.
Under gloomy skies, the hosts had the better of the opening exchanges and drew first blood with a pushover try in the opening five minutes.
However, Sports raised their game to match the breakdown physicality.
Hautapu extended their lead to 12 points with another converted try at the 20-minute mark, before Sports enjoyed an extended period of attack in the Hautapu quarter, held out only by some desperate defence and untimely mistakes.
These mistakes were highlighted by a huge break down the middle of the field by loose forward Jake Russ, only for the ball to be knocked away while reaching out to score.
Sports finally got their reward on the stroke of halftime when tireless prop Finlay took an offload from hooker Sean Ralph and crashed over the line under heavy attention, closing the gap and trailing 5-12 at the half.
After missing last week’s rout through injury, fullback Toa was injected into the game and immediately made his mark, taking the ball from a midfield scrum, deftly drifting to the outside of his man, exploding through the gap, stepping inside the fullback, bursting another tackle to score an incredible solo try. His conversion tied the game at 12-12 early in the second half.
However, Sports made a fatal mistake following their points. After clearing their line and pushing Hautapu deep into their own half, they missed the first-up tackle, and winger Quintin Hill found open space ahead of him, running almost untouched to score in the left corner and take back the lead. Sports were trailing 12-17 with 20 minutes to play.
The final quarter turned into a war of attrition, with Te Awamutu having chances to level the scores, but the Hautapu defence held firm, and some inaccuracies meant chances went by unclaimed.
Hautapu also had their chances to put the game beyond doubt, but couldn’t break through a spirited Te Awamutu defensive line and held on to secure the win.
For Te Awamutu, while the result was disappointing, there were a lot of positives to take away, with lock Tai Cribb taking out man of the match with a strong all-round performance and marking up with Gallagher Chiefs lock Laghlan McWhannell in the lineouts.
Fullback Toa was impressive in his return from injury, and hooker Ralph was again outstanding all round in a massive 80-minute performance.
MVP Points: 3: Tai Cribb, 2: Sam Toa, 1: Sean Ralph.
Te Awamutu Sports' Jake Russ takes on the Hautapu defence. Photo / Justin Miezenbeek
ECOLAB TE AWAMUTU SPORTS PREMIER DEVELOPMENT
Ecolab Te Awamutu Sports’ Premier Development team put on another scintillating display to storm back into top spot, racing away to a 51-5 victory over Hautapu in Cambridge.
Te Awamutu scored nine tries, two each to Zealin Prime, Elijah Mataira, and CJ Kaua, as well as one each to Dillon Martin, Ryley Emery, Nikau Nolan, and David Sue. Martin added three conversions.
Kaua opened the scoring within five minutes, finishing off a nice move from a Martin break.
Martin then followed with his own try to put Hautapu on their heels early.
Prime picked up his first try after a period of parity in the 30th minute, and Emery extended the lead five minutes later, resulting in a 22-0 scoreline.
Hautapu had the last say of the first half, picking up a try right on the stroke of halftime.
Sports hit the ground running in the second half, with Mataira scoring in the opening minutes to extend the lead before Hautapu earned a period of ascendancy.
This was broken 10 minutes later by Nolan’s try, followed quickly by Prime’s second from long range.
Mataira picked up his second try with 10 minutes to play, and replacement winger Sue closed the scoring with a try to seal the dominant win.
While the forwards laid the platform, the backs ran wild, with Mataira being especially dangerous, and halfback Prime found holes around the ruck in an impressive all-round game.
THE HONDA SHOP UNDER 21s
The Honda Shop Te Awamutu Sports Under 21s secured their first victory of the season, convincingly defeating Fraser Tech 40-7 under the lights at Albert Park on Friday night.
Winger Caleb Wright led the way with a brace, while loose forward Rameriz Viane, midfielder Callum Hall, and replacement Byron Tonihi added scores, and halfback Riley Dixon contributed two conversions and three penalty goals from the tee.
Sports started the game perfectly, with Viane crossing in the sixth minute, and Dixon’s conversion setting the lead at seven, before adding two penalty goals to extend it to 13 after half an hour.
Wright scored his third try of the season, and Dixon added another penalty goal as the half drew to a close, cementing an impressive 21-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, Sports kept the pressure on, with Hall extending the lead to 26, followed soon after by Tonihi’s score at the hour mark.
Dixon’s conversion left Sports up 33-0 with 20 minutes left to play.
Tech scored their first points almost immediately, reducing the deficit to seven points, before Wright scored his second try to finish the comfortable win.
