In the first half, Bay winger Andrew Tauatevalu kicked two penalties but missed two from handy positions.
The only first-half highlight was a superb try to Coast second five-eighth Sailosi Vatubua a minute after Tauatevalu landed a 38-metre penalty in the 38th minute.
Coast first five-eighth Verdon Bartlett made the initial break before passing to blindside flanker Hone Haerewa. He was tackled seven metres out but offloaded to Auckland loan player Vatubua.
Poverty Bay assistant coach Dwayne Russell said coach Mana Otai gave the forwards a “hurry-up” at halftime and the second 40 was much better.
Twenty-year-old winger Lam, a cousin of former Samoa and New Zealand No.8 and former Blues coach Pat Lam, looked dangerous but did not see a lot of ball in the first half.
Two minutes after the restart Lam, who plays for Eden in the Auckland premier competition, showed his speed and finishing power, beating two men down the sideline to stretch the Bay’s lead to 11-5.
Coast fullback Kris Palmer, who saved two certain tries in the first 40, closed the deficit with a penalty shortly after.
Much awaited momentThen came the moment the travelling fans had been waiting for . . . centre Te Peehi Fairlie scored a try to give the Coast the lead in the 55th minute.
Coast left-winger Jayden Milner did brilliantly to keep the ball in play from a kick for touch. From there the ball went through the hands to the powerfully-built Vatubua. He put on on the afterburners and broke through a couple of tackles in a searing 30-metre run then passed inside to right-winger for Wellington loan player Te Wehi Wright to finish. Palmer’s conversion put the Sky Blues ahead 15-11.
Stung by this reversal, the Bay hit back five minutes later with a try to second-five Jesse Fleming after good work from No.8 Siosiua Moala, centre and Bay of Plenty loan player Isaia Vuki and skipper and openside flanker James Grogan.
Fullback Ethine Reeves converted to edge the Bay in front, 18-15.
Then came the first of two turning points in a game that had finally come alive.
In the 60th minute the Coast launched another attack through Wright but as he cut infield he appeared to stumble and fell into Moala’s shoulder, and was knocked out. Wright was carried from the field and later taken to Gisborne Hospital with concussion.
Coast supporters called for Wellington referee Nick Hogan to show Moala a yellow or red card. Hogan ruled the clash was accidental, and the game continued with Moala remaining on the field.
Sixty seconds later, Hogan sin-binned Coast loosehead prop Morgan Poi for slowing the play down.
“That’s two big calls,” one Coast supporter said. “They could have had a man in the bin or sent off and now we’re down to 14 men.”
Te Wehi out of hospitalCoast co-coach Wayne Ensor said Te Wehi got out of hospital on Saturday night and, although he had a headache, he was recovering.
While Poi was in the bin, the Bay took advantage. They scored two tries, one to Vuki, after Fleming did well to keep play alive when the Coast looked to have turned the ball over, and the other to Lam, with Reeves and Vuki the instigators.
Brody Lam’s try gave the Bay a bonus point, which could be valuable as they prepare to host West Coast on Saturday.
Bay lock Everard Reid was rewarded for a solid outing with his side’s fifth try in the 77th minute.
Although Siosiua Moala did not get on the scoresheet, he was outstanding on attack and defence and was named man of the match, with Ethine Reeves and hooker Isaia Leach both earning two points and Lam, one.
“Siosiua just gives us so much physical presence,” said Bay assistant coach Dwayne Russell.
“Isaia, in his first game for us this season, and Ethine were not far behind. Brody did well to score two tries on debut but the player who was unlucky not to get any points was our skipper, James Grogan.
“He does so much work that sometimes doesn’t get noticed, except by the coaches and his teammates. He always leads from the front, wears his heart on his sleeve and is fast becoming a very good captain.”
Coast forwards coach Wayne Ensor felt prop Morgan Poi’s yellow card was the turning point.
“We were in the game, playing well, and then were down to 14 men with the Bay close to our goal-line, and they scored pretty much straight after Morgan went off.”
The Coast have suffered another blow ahead of their trip to Otaki to play Horowhenua Kapiti on Saturday, with lock Callen Whaitiri-White out after dislocating his knee.
“He was playing really well and, along with (locking partner) Manaia Nyman, was outstanding at set pieces,” Ensor said.
“Our set pieces have been a feature of the past few games and now we lose one of our key players.”
Skipper and No.8 Paddy Allen said the spirit in the camp was still high despite the loss.
“We just need to get that W and we’ll be right.”
Although on the losing team, Allen, Hone Haerewa, Trent Proffit (openside) and hooker Kareti Palmer left the field with their reputations enhanced.
Palmer, in particular, deserves special praise. One of the smallest hookers in the competition, he puts his body on the line week in, week out.
There wouldn’t be a week when he doesn’t come off the pitch covered in bruises, having been “beaten up” by bigger opponents. But in true Coast style he keeps coming back for more.
