The Bay had built pressure with strong ball-running and opened the way for an overlap on the openside for Skudder to cross the line and open his team’s scoring.
Poverty Bay co-coach Miah Nikora said the team struggled to find their flow, and failed to produce meaningful attacks in the middle period of the game.
“Both teams made a few errors,” he said.
“No one really took the game by the scruff of the neck.”
Mid Canterbury were able to extend their first-half lead to seven points after they mauled the ball over the line through hooker Callum Burrell, with Poverty Bay No.8 Tamanui Hill having been sin-binned for bringing down a preceding maul.
Mid Canterbury built on their lead early in the second half with an 80-metre move that finished with No.8 Seta Koroitamana crossing the line after Poverty Bay were caught sleeping on the fringes of the maul.
In the middle stages of the second half, both teams were unable to find attacking form. Consistent handling errors and penalties stifled the point-scoring potential of both teams.
With time running out, Poverty Bay retook the initiative and started to make meaningful inroads.
It started with reserve back Ethine Reeves scoring as Mid Canterbury failed to slow down the constant waves of attack orchestrated by halfback Mario Counsell.
Poverty Bay weren’t allowing their opponents a break and maintained the attack with a string of tap-and-goes that kept Mid Canterbury on the back foot. A skip pass from Counsell in front of the waiting Bay forwards in first receiver was all that was needed for Reeves to cross the line.
The momentum had clearly swung in Poverty Bay’s favour, but their attacking opportunities were limited by lack of time.
Time was almost up when Poverty Bay were awarded a defensive five-metre scrum. The team rallied, with big runs from the likes of reserve prop Jarryd Broughton, first five-eighth Kelvin Smith and centre Penikolo Latu propelling the team upfield.
Mid Canterbury’s defence offered little resistance as Poverty Bay marched into their 22 with left-to-right attack that spread the defence, making it thin on the edges and enabling flanker Keanu Taumata to score on the left flank.
With time expired and the scores even, the game was destined for golden point extra time. The Bay received the kick-off and instantly returned the ball downfield to give Mid Canterbury a turn to attack from the halfway.
Three phases after the lineout, a brilliant one-two play between reserve first five-eighth George Williams and second-five Nick Foxley broke the Bay defence and Poverty Bay were penalised for a high tackle as Foxley fell inside the 22.
The kick was easy for Tom Reekie. From 10 metres outside the left-hand upright, he made no mistake and handed Poverty Bay their third defeat of the season.
Nikora said he was proud of the grit his team showed to fight their way back into the game.
“It was a tough result in the end, but the boys showed good fight in the last 15 minutes to get back into the game.
“From where we were in the game, to come back and even the score (was impressive).”
The team had opportunities early to take the points on attack, but he said they decided to back their set-piece and attack with so much of the game still to be played.
“Then they got the lead and we were trying to catch up with tries.”
He said once again the subs made a massive impact, bringing another dimension to their game.
Poverty Bay’s playoff hopes were diminished by this result, but they still had a chance if they won their remaining two games with bonus points, Nikora said.
Poverty Bay have 17 points in the competition. Ahead of them are South Canterbury on 30 points, Thames Valley on 28, Whanganui, North Otago and Mid Canterbury on 20, and Horowhenua-Kapiti on 18.
POVERTY BAY 19 (Shayde Skudder, Ethine Reeves, Keanu Taumata tries; Jake Holmes 2 con).
MID CANTERBURY 22 (Manasi Bari, Callum Burrell, Seta Koroitamana tries; Tom Reekie 2 con, pen).
HT: 12-5 (Mid Canterbury).
