Rugby
One of the features of the latest round of Moose Kapene Cup rugby fixtures played on Saturday was the closeness of most of the scorelines.
Three of the four fixtures finished within one score, with one game being decided by two points whilst another was decided by just a single point.
Eketahuna entertained Gladstone first up on Friday night under lights with the game going down to the wire. In what was described as a "hard" game, Gladstone came from behind to take the spoils with a 20-18 victory. Ed Herring and Sam Monahan scored tries for Eketahuna with Tom Meuli converting one and adding two penalties, while Cameron Hayton continued his points scoring spree with a try and and two conversions and two penalties for Gladstone with Andrew Bouton adding the other try.
The scoreline was even closer in Pahiatua where Martinborough edged out Bush Sports 24-23. The victory see the southerners continue to push for top spot in the table, having gained the maximum five points from this fixture after scoring four tries. Jeff Ebbett, Jordan Bennett Davies and Dylan Bennett all crossed the chalk for Bush with Bennett adding two penalties and a conversion. Martinborough's points came from Ardun Mann, Jared Hawkins, Cory Whittaker and Tipi Haira tries with Whittaker and Haira converting one each.
Pioneer got back to winning ways at Jeans Street, running in six tries to one in a 47-11 thumping of Marist. Damien Kamo-Paku, Nikora Ewe (twice), Stu Waipuka, Nathan Rolls and Taleo Lago Lago all got over the white line for Pioneer with halfback Joseph Thompson adding to his own and his team's tally with four conversions and three penalties. Marist's reply was a try to Seuituli Tafa and two James Goodger penalties.
In the remaining fixture, Carterton came back from their disappointing showing the weekend before to give leaders Greytown a hard fought game. Carterton weathered early Greytown pressure and with No 8 Johnny McFadzean leading the way, increasingly took the game to the visitors through a determined forward effort. McFadzean was in commanding form and proved a real handful throughout the game, dominating in set play, invariably breaking tackles and charging over the advantage line in the loose whilst mopping up in cover defence.
Carterton more than held their own up front and took a deserved 10-0 lead in to the break courtesy of a Luke Jones try, converted by Danny Brown with Brown also adding a penalty.
Greytown upped the anti after the break and increasingly took a grip of the game, pinning Carterton back inside their own half for long periods, keeping the home side scoreless in the second period and running in three tries to Tapaga Isaac, hooker PJ Freeman and Tony Lyford with Hamish Meyrick adding one conversion in the process.
The 17-10 final scoreline sees Greytown maintain a seven-point lead at the top of the table over Martinborough. Matters may change, however, as a result of Puketoi defaulting their game to East Coast. Puketoi have struggled to field a side in earlier rounds and this latest default is a matter which the rugby union's council of clubs will look in to at a meeting this week. A possible outcome of this meeting could see some re-allocation of points awarded so far this season as a result of the defaulted games and should Puketoi be unable to field a premier side in upcoming fixtures.
However, CEO Tony Hargood has stressed the union will do all within its power to keep Puketoi up and running. "It's really important they stay in," Hargood said.
In reserve grade games, Masterton Red Star beat Gladstone 58-8, Bush Sorts beat Martinborough 19-18, Greytown beat Carterton 42-5 while Pioneer easily accounted for table toppers Marist 30-3.