Rugby League: Eels wriggle to feisty draw

The Otumoetai Eels opened their 2013 WaiCoa Bays premier campaign with a 16-16 draw against the Ngaruawahia Panthers at Mitchell Park on Saturday.

The result represents a decent enough start to the season against a side that appeared in last year's final, while the reserve grade side fell 12-22 in the curtain raiser.

Club stalwart Stan 'Bunny' Nicholas said both games were hard fought, with no individual performances of any great note.

"It was very mistake-riddled but still hard-fought and intense to the bitter end."

Down 12-0, the Eels fought back with two tries to trail 12-10 early in the second half.

With plenty of on-field chatter disrupting the game, the referee tried to regain control with a series of sin-bin offences in the second half.

In all, seven players were given 10- minute spells for offences which were sometimes hard to determine.

At one point it was 12 Panthers against 11 Eels.

During this period the Panthers took a 16-10 lead.

Only a determined last-ditch effort saw the Eels grab a converted try in the final minute of play to secure the draw.

Premier player of the day went to second rower Baiden Sommerville, while hooker Mitchell Cairns-Nelson scooped the prize in the reserve grade fixture.