Red Star win over gallant Pioneer

Masterton Red Star didn't have things all their own way in their Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby match with Pioneer at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
The defending champions were confronting a Pioneer side still looking to score their first competition points of the season and were generally expected to win by a wide margin but their 32-14 victory probably produced as much kudos for their opposition as for themselves.
Masterton Red Star coach Ivan Karaitiana paid tribute to the Pioneer side, saying that apart from the first 10 minutes when his side had called the tune they had competed strongly in all departments.
But Karaitiana was unhappy at Masterton Red Star deviating from the game plan and failing to convert many prime scoring chances into points. ''Overall we were just ordinary, no better than that,'' he said. Winger Joe Dahlberg-Paku was again a star of a Masterton Red Star backline still missing a couple of rep players through injury, making several stirring bursts on the wing, while Tyrone McTavish and Chris Senior stood out in the forwards. Former Pioneer players in Joe Papaali and Dalhberg-Paku were among the try scorers for Masterton Red Star while front rower Mike Chrishoohu touched down twice. Chris Osborne landed two penalties and two conversions and Sele Tugaga kicked a conversion.
Pioneer scored tries through S Vaafusuga and Nathan Rolls with Rolls also kicking two conversions.
Marist had to work hard for their 14-10 win over Greytown at Greytown with C Taafa running in two tries, both of which were converted by Nathan Couch. Tommy Sargent and Richard Hardman scored tries for a plucky Greytown side who gave every bit as good as they received.
Martinborough kept themselves in contention for a semi-final spot with a surprisingly convincing 32-14 win over Gladstone. Eli Telford scored two of the tries for Martinborough with others going to Daniel George and Greg Wilson. Darren Kapene showed his value with the boot by kicking three conversions and two penalties Charlie Bargh scored Gladstone's sole try and J McPeak landed three conversions.
Carterton also boosted their semifinal prospects with a 20-8 defeat of East Coast. Regular try scorer Charlie Brown again touched down for Carterton as did Tipene Haira while Jono Hurley kicked two penalties and one conversion and Haira one conversion. Jesse McGilvary scored a try for East Coast and Nick Olson kicked a penalty goal.
Hooker Jake Tipene scored two tries for Eketahuna in their 24-3 win over Puketoi in the match played under lights at Eketahuna on Thursday evening. P Griffin also scored a try for the home team while Crete Cribb kicked three conversions and L Broughton a penalty. The only points for Puketoi came from a penalty kicked by Jason Liverton.