Religious rout by Ratana humbles Marton

Ratana 29
Marton 6

Ratana has an impressive church that marks the founding of a religion; it also has some impressive rugby on offer.
Rugby can be a religion for some ... and there will be a few more believers after Saturday's pummelling of Marton.
Playing with zest and confidence, Ratana dominated possession and territory and it is testament to the stubborn defence of injury-hit Marton that the visitors led for half the match and the tries started rolling in only towards the end.
The floodgates always looked likely to swing wide as Ratana displayed a desire to run the ball from all parts of the park - even deep inside their 22m zone. With a little more precision, it could have been an even more painful trip back up the road for Marton.
Ratana backed up their appetite for adventure with some solid work in the set pieces, flanker Mikaere Penetito imperious in the lineout.
But despite Ratana enjoying the greater share of the ball, the door was locked for the home side throughout a rugged first half.
In fact, it was Marton who held the lead, starting with a forward rumble and a long kick by skipper and first-five Tim Hale. For once, Ratana's bid to run the ball out of defence came unstuck and Jake Karaynidis landed a penalty from in front of the posts.
Marton flanker Sefu Ioapa sliced a clearance from the kickoff and the visitors were again under pressure. Wing Dawai Navaito was forced out near the corner flag and a Jamie Hughes burst threatened a first score.
Ratana were passing slickly and playing at pace but moments of mishandling saw good opportunities wasted. When another pass went astray, Dane Cowley hacked on and Marton turned defence into attack, with Hale leading the breakout. The play ended with Karaynidis landing a long-range penalty to put the visitors 6-0 up.
Another Marton punt gave fullback Bernard Matthews the chance to counter-attack again and he featured in the move three times as play swept 50 metres upfield. Ratana switched the attack from left to right but Vaan Rauhina spilled a sharp pass from Penetito with the line beckoning. The home side finally got on the board when Caleb Maraku's penalty rounded off a concerted forward surge.
Ratana attacked again from the kickoff with centre pairing Vance Pereka and Jamie Hughes leading the charge. Down the other end, Karaynidis made a break but his try-scoring pass was intercepted by the alert Maraku.
Some big hits were going in as the game ebbed and flowed and referee Jason Baylis had to dispense a few words to both teams.
In the closing seconds of the half, Maraku appeared to have put wing Che Barlow over but another last-ditch tackle kept the Marton line - and their 6-3 advantage - intact.
The second half was mostly one-way traffic, with Pereka and Hughes getting the ball rolling. Marton were forced into desperate defence and hefty kicks as they sought relief from the onslaught.
When Maraku's penalty kick gave Ratana a lineout five metres out, they got the touchdown that had long been coming. Penetito rose and caught, the pack pushed on and Rauhina burrowed his way over the line. Maraku's conversion gave the home side a 10-6 edge - one they never looked like losing.
Penetito and Rauhina nearly repeated their double-act a few minutes later and, after a spell of continuous play that was more like a sevens game, with Ratana throwing the ball about from everywhere, the second try arrived.
Sub halfback Petera Martin took a quick tap penalty and another sub, Kereti Tamou, fed Barlow who scooted over.
It was Martin's turn to dot down next after forward thrusts and Maraku's boot took it to 22-6.
Cowley and wing Moli Sagapolitele led a rare Marton excursion into Ratana territory, but the visitors were short on attacking options and Hale's penchant for hanging on to the ball and trying to take them on himself did them no favours.
Barlow made a 30-metre break out of defence as Ratana chased the bonus point, which they secured when Cole Paki won a lineout and number 8 Jason Hughes got over and Maraku added the two.
Without key players such as Justin Lock, Lote Tauiloto and Bruce Potaka, it was a hard day's tackling for Marton in which nuggety prop Ray Uini was a standout.