Win's great bonus as Bay play smart

It was a match that was supposed to be all about combinations, preparing for a great start to the ITM Cup campaign rather than focusing on getting one over the opposition.
To get a win over the Manawatu Turbos was a bonus that even coach Sean Horan couldn't stop beaming about.
The Steamers rolled out a 33-19 victory away at Palmerston North on a day when the Manawatu wind could have dominated. As it was the 40 minutes when the gusts were in the home side's favour was the first half and the Steamers held them back to a 7-5 half-time lead.
The Steamers used the wind to their advantage and despite it looking to upset any chance of kicks finding their destination, only one conversion went off target.
"I'm really pleased," an elated Horan said last night. "With the disappointment on Tuesday [at Hawkes Bay] the boys reacted well to that loss. [Manawatu] had the lead and the wind in the first half but we were pretty happy with the half-time score.
"We achieved quite a bit. We were quite clinical in certain areas, quite accurate and that's what we were after. At the end of the day the performance outweighs the result."
The Steamers put together the combinations this week's training camp has focused on and the lessons they have been learning were transferred to the playing field. Horan accepts they are still a long way from where they want to be but he's confident that come next Sunday when the season starts they can put on their A game. "Piece by piece we're putting it together."
Manawatu took an early lead from what Horan called a soft try. Jamie Nutbrown pulled one back and the scores stayed at 7-5 for the remaining 15 minutes of the first half.
Culum Retallick hit back early for the Steamers but Aaron Smith replied with a charge down. Any idea that Manawatu could get back in the lead were soon dismissed by captain Colin Bourke as he touched down for the Steamers. Tries from Tristan Moran and shortlisted IRB junior player of the year Sam Cane followed.
Manawatu scored a last-minute consolation try. The Steamers won every key area of the game - 65 per cent of the possession, 66 per cent territory, 14 penalties to Manawatu's 11 and a slight advantage in turnovers conceded (14 to Manawatu's 16).
"Our tries were very well built," Horan said. "We laid a platform into the wind and we got to work. In the second half we had more territory.
"We held on to it for a few phases, [the tries] weren't due to an individual's brilliance. It was a collective effort."
Phil Burleigh played a key communicative role, Horan said, and with no injuries from yesterday's game it bodes well for the start of the competition proper. Leighton Price, who was taken to Napier Hospital after Tuesday's defeat, is the only confirmed non-starter, out for a few weeks due to an elbow injury.
"We're now focusing on Counties Manukau. They're going to be a real challenge, especially early on in the competition and at home. We're very realistic to that."
Yesterday's scorers:
Bay of Plenty Steamers 33 (Jamie Nutbrown, Calum Retallick, Colin Bourke, Tristan Moran, Sam Cane tries; Chris Noakes 3, Daniel Waenga cons) Manawatu 19 Turbos (Waisea Qiokata, Aaron Smith, Casey Stone tries; Dan Kelly con, Aaron Cruden con) HT 5-7.