MAC continued a successful season back in Hawke's Bay premier rugby league by beating Omahu Huia in a feature fifth-round match at Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park, Hastings, on Saturday.
The 18-14 win, in which MAC did not take the lead until loose forward Sione Kalave scored the side's fourthtry late in the game did it the hard way, missing several regulars at the start and then spending much of the match depleted as players sat-out temporary suspensions, issued by veteran referee Andy Cracknell.
Twice they were down to 11, but still managed to come back, down 10-8 at halftime and a further four points soon afterwards against an Omahu side now coached by evergreen mentor Waka Leonard, switching camps after the folding of Tech.
MAC eventually scored four tries to three, centre Nela Ofa and wing Tini Mika and hooker Upu Asolua the side's other points which with a goal to follow drew the scores level at 14-14 in the second half.
Led by player-coach Setu Kereti, it was MAC's fourth win in in the competition now culled to just four teams, long-standing regular finalists Tamatea having also been withdrawn. They had beaten Omahu 38-14 on opening-day last month.
Napier Pirates Panthers loomed as the next most likely 2014 finalists when they beat OutKast 40-26.
They led 10-0 in the first quarter and 16-12 at halftime, but it was a struggle against an OutKast side which wasn't a shadow of the side which beat Panthers in last year's final.
With most of Saturday's team having already fronted in a Reserve grade match, OutKast led three times during the match, and only succumbed after referee Darren Sage sent one of their number from the field after a melee.
It completed a day of triumph for teams formed in rugby union clubs, Clive having started the day with a Reserve grade triumph over Omahu Huia ahead of the wins by MAC and Panthers.
