The draw prevented a clean sweep for the villagers five afternoon grade teams after their reserve grade side, division three, colts and women had earlier registered wins.
The Havelock backs lacked their usual cohesion and far too often the Havelock forwards were either isolated or allowed the experienced Hastings pair of flanker and captain Tivaini Fomai and No 8 Peniasi Tokakece too much freedom.
Prop Emmanuel Maui and substitute forward Sam Lamborn were busy in the villagers engine room while winger Matt Hill made the most of his limited opportunities.
Experienced fullback James Rosenberg joined Fomai, Tokakece and prop Jason Long as the best of the visitors who boast the necessary depth to maintain their top three berth in the Tui Nash Cup and improve on it during the Maddison Trophy competition.
NOBM 35 Tech 20Hurricanes squad member Mark Abbott was inspirational for Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys Marist in this Whitmore Park victory.
"Mark showed why he is a Hurricane and Joe [No 8 Joseph Penitito] had his best game of the season," NOBM manager Mike Smith said.
His first five-eighth Tyrone Elkington-Macdonald impressed with his directional play.
Tech Group of Companies Napier Technical manager Cyril Whitburn said the hosts drifted from the game plan at times, were starved of possession for long periods in the second half but fought back well towards the end of the game.
Captain and openside flanker Hugh Reed again led the hosts by example while winger Penikolo Latu and first five-eighth Tane McGuire were constructive in the Tech backline.
Taradale 32 Clive 15
Carters Frame and Truss Taradale co-coach Blair Cross was full of praise for Clive's competitive effort against his unbeaten competition leaders at Farndon Park.
"We were a bit battered and bruised after the previous week's game against Havelock and Clive's scrum dominated ours for long periods. Clive have a lot to build on for the future," Cross said.
Lock Scott Wielinga, captain and No 8 Andrew Gardner and hooker Mike Sosene-Feagai were a powerful trio in the Taradale pack. Halfback Chris Eaton was again classy in the winning backline.
Clive coach Andy Green agreed the score didn't reflect his side's contribution to the game and pointed out his troops produced an outstanding first half to trail 14-10 at the interval.
MAC 34 Tamatea 27
Like Cross MAC head coach Anthony Morley was also heaping kudos on his team's opponents after this Bill Mathewson Park victory.
"Tamatea played with awesome intensity.
"We never got going as well as we should have," Morley acknowledged.
Second five-eighth Jackson Waerea produced his second player-of-the-match performance of the season for the visitors and with two tries took his season tally to five.
First five-eighth Tianua Poto converted all four MAC tries and also kicked two penalties. Captain and No 8 Everard Reid was again the best of the MAC forwards.
"Our performance was a huge improvement.
"We showed a bit of passion and with 20 minutes remaining the game was anybody's," Tamatea co-coach Aaron Painter said.
Former Samoa A second five-eighth Fai Kereti scored 22 points for Tamatea with two tries, three conversions and two penalties.
Lock Junior Crichton and No.8 Ivan Bellamy were prominent in the host pack.
Pirate 51 Central 14
Northfuels Central co-coach Exham Wichman refused to blame the opening weekend of the duck-shooting season for this loss at Tamatea Park.
"We had the players but just didn't turn up mentally," former Magpie Wichman explained.
He also singled out lock Hugh Graham, fullback Dan McIntyre and winger Mark Donald as the best of the visitors.
Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports co-coach Terrence Taylor, another former Magpie among the coaching ranks in the comp, said his troops display was a huge step up from the previous week's loss to Hastings.
Busy No 8 Marcus Donovan grabbed a hattrick in a player-of-the-match display.
Blindside flanker Lynard Hall and hooker Hamish Willis also shone in the winning pack while versatile halfback Matt Murtha was the pick of the Pirate backs.
