Baywide top eight almost sorted - race on for last places

The bottom rugby four clubs to head back into the second division for the next round are almost sorted with three weekends in Baywide premier section play remaining.
Leaders Mount Maunganui, Whakarewarewa, Te Puke Sports and Rotoiti round out the top four, with Tauranga and Rangataua just a point away and Rangiuru and Whakatane Marist in the top eight.
Kawerau, Te Puna, Kahukura and Waikite are all in varying degrees of difficulty after the latest results.
MOUNT MAUNGANUI veteran Wilson Mellow, despite the acrid taste of blood and anesthetic and a rapidly emptying wallet, found the taste sweet after Tauranga's "Battle of the Bridge".
The 39-year-old lock ambled off Blake Park on Saturday, glancing backwards to make sure the outstanding 52-14 scoreline over old rivals Tauranga Sports was real.
It was. This particular match had turned into a cross-harbour hammering and Mellow, despite a rapidly-swelling cut lip and the fact he'd have to shout his Tauranga mates beer all night, was a very happy man.
He was even happy enough to laugh off references to the 72-3 hiding dished out by Tauranga in this clash nearly 15 years ago, which he'd played in.
"It goes a long way to helping that," Mellow dryly noted. "It certainly does. This was a sweet win."
Most club rugby players these days have the loyalty of a lizard with its tail broken off and wouldn't appreciate the three long years Mount have had to wait for victory over Tauranga.
But the significance of Saturday's win was even greater than that.
Mount scored seven tries with a crispness and passion that is even more ominous than the fact they've yet to be beaten in eight rounds this season and fly high at the top of the table.
WHAKATANE Marist beat Kawerau Sports 25-10 in a hard-fought but often scrappy and penalty-ridden match at Rugby Park to give themselves a foothold in the top eight.
The score was not a fair indication of the game with the big Kawerau pack always dangerous in the tight and on the charge and Marist did not help themselves by incurring the wrath of the referee for dubious tactics at stopping these.
They also were guilty of not releasing the ball in the tackle but despite the one-sided penalty count Kawerau were not able to turn these into enough points.
Outstanding for a hardworking Marist pack, which did its best to hold the Kawerau eight, were lock Alimoti Te Pou and flankers Dallas Cole and Craig Yardley while former South Canterbury NPC player Richard Preston was the keystone at first five scoring 20 of Marist's points.
RANGATAUA have dealt Kahukura a division two nail in the coffin with a 28-15 win at Rotorua's Kuirau Park.
Wayne Fell's tricolours now sit in 10th spot, consigned to looking at the next three games for improvement so they can attack the championship round they are likely to spend in the lower division.
Thanks to a three-try effort by flanker Brad Savage on Saturday, Kahukura did score a morale victory in the second half, winning the last 35 minutes 10-5, but they need to improve a lot from here in.
Coach Fell said they couldn't cope with the width and pace of the Rangataua attacks despite competing well in the pack once again.
WAIKITE turned in a sluggish performance to lose 28-5 to Rangataua at Bellvue Road.
The loss dropped Rotorua's amber and blacks outside of the top eight for the first time in the season and has them in real danger of spending the next round in the division two competition.
On Saturday, they struggled to draw the visiting loosies into the tight exchanges, leaving big Paul Tupai and Tanirau Latimer to run among the backs and punch holes.
TE PUKE SPORTS continued the bullying form of the top sides as they thumped Te Puna 55-21.
A 25-point haul to Murray Williams was the highlight as Sports ran in eight tries to three to cement their place in the top four and consign Te Puna to the second division for the next round.
Baywide Premier
Section one
Mount Maunganui 52 (Lance MacDonald 2, James Afoa, John Pareanga, Chris Elvin, Sam Moon, Damian Karauna tries; Mike Delany 3 pen, 4 con) Tauranga Sport 14 (Lee Kennaugh, Nenoa Lolhea tries; Kyle O'Brien 2 con). HT: 28-7
Te Puke Sports 55 (Charles Baxter 2, Murray Williams 2, Filemone Bolavucu, Rameka Poihipi, Matt Youngman, Mark Pilcher tries; Williams pen, 6 con) Te Puna 21 (Sonny Kiwi, Kelly Pakaru, Ray MacDonald tries; MacDonald 3 con). HT: 29-0.
Whakarewarewa 20 (Ngarimu Simpkins, Garrick Cowley tries; Kelly Haimona 2 pen, 2 con) Rotoiti 13 (Tommy Teaeki try; Wayne Walden 2 pen, 1 con)
Rangiuru 28 Waikite 5 (Anthony Tahana try)
Rangataua 28 (Jason Hona, Richard Lloyd, Nathaniel Walker, Sam Christie tries, Shane Ririnui 2 pen 1con) Kahukura 15 (Brad Savage 3 tries)
Whakatane Marist 25 (Richard Preston (2) Mitchell Tihi tries, Preston 2 con & 2 pens) Kawerau 10 (Phil Tangira, Martin Elliott tries).
Section two
Ngongotaha 19 Edgecumbe 18, Matata 22 Opotiki 20, Eastern Pirates 37 Poroporo 5, Te Teko 48 Marist St Michaels 17, Arataki 15 Judea 14, Papamoa 20 Painoaiho 10.
Central Bay Union scores were not available.