After gifting OBM a reprieve, YMP were able to address the issue and started to see success, with two tries in quick succession. The second was a fantastic 60-metre individual effort from fullback Andrew Tauatevalu, who was given space on the wing after the outnumbered OBM defence rushed up trying to disrupt the play.
YMP wing Aaron McLelland had a standout game. He was all over the park, looked dangerous every time he touched the ball, and scored a try on the stroke of halftime.
YMP scored again in the first minute of the second half through No.8 Jesse Kapene to take the score to 26-5.
The momentum then changed as OBM mounted a spirited comeback that ultimately was for naught.
They reduced the lead to just nine points with more than 15 minutes to play, but YMP were able to seal the deal with a brilliant try to winger Te Peehi Fairlie in his 50th premier game for the club.
With YMP on the back foot after being driven behind the advantage line, McLelland, in first receiver, bounced to the outside shoulder of the mismatched defender, streaked through the gap he had created and then beat the covering defence with some more fancy footwork.
The trailing OBM defenders were able to catch up as McLelland slowed to beat the last line of defence, but he managed to keep an arm free and give Fairlie a one-handed pass for him to score between the posts and seal the game.
OBM were able to score a consolation try with time expired. It rewarded their strong maul for the second time in the game, reserve hooker Blake Beard scoring to make the final score 33-24.
Waikohu were unable to earn any competition points over the weekend as they had a bye, so they slipped to second on the leaderboard. But they could have the opportunity to take back the top spot when YMP have their second-round bye on the last weekend of the regular season.
YMP coach Brian Leach said that while he was happy with the win, his team strayed from the game plan.
“There was some really good-quality individual stuff, but at the end of the day a unit plays better than an individual.
“We'll work on getting that unity . . . the forwards and backs all chiming in together rather than relying on that individual talent.”
After watching the game back twice on Sunday evening, Leach said they needed to focus on being more protective of the ball when in possession.
“On defence, we were quite strong and aggressive, but we can't defend 10-to-12 phases.
Leach said it was special to see Fairlie score in his 50th, and he was surprised by McLelland's pace with his confidence building.
In the forwards, the locking duo of Fawn White and Simmy Akurangi were outstanding, he said.
OBM captain Rikki Terekia said they wanted a strong start to put YMP under pressure, but their fitness let them down.
“We had a focus of starting strong and putting a lot of pressure on the opposition. That is where we have been slack in our past games, so achieving it this week was good for us.”
He said the rolling maul had been an attacking weapon for them all season and he thought it gave the opposition another thing to worry about on defence.
“I was happy with the amount of times we used our maul . . . not too much to make it predictable.”
He said the loose forwards had a standout performance, with No. 8 Morgan Reedy and flanker Keanu Taumata adding intensity to the forward pack.
