The end of season blues and the clash with the start of rugby season made for a disappointing Saturday as both St Johns Tech and Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens were hammered by their Horowhenua-Kapiti counterparts.
Only Marist picked up a 'victory' out of the four Whanganui teams on the last weekend of the Bullocks Coastal Challenge Cup, but that was via Kapiti forfeiting their wooden-spoon match at Victoria Park.
On Tasman Tanning No2 pitch, Tech were without allrounder Nick Harding, who was scoring tries and kicking goals up the road in Waverley, and some of them seemed like they would rather be there watching him as they folded for 82 against Wereroa in the playoff for third.
Beaten by United twice, Wereroa were still eager and did not want to lose at Victoria for a third straight week, as bowler Huka Kahu let off a whoop when he picked up his five-for in the 23rd over.
Kahu set the tone when he got Fraser Kinnerley and Sam Roebuck in the game's opening over, while Quintin Purvis fell not long afterwards, and then leading hope Dominic Lock had not troubled the scorers before Caleb O'Connell (2-18) trapped him in front.