Pikiao in the right mind to beat Taupo

Doug Unuwai believes character could prove the difference when Pikiao Warriors meet Taupo Phoenix in a top-of-the-table clash.

Pikiao have won their last four games of the season, with Taupo the only other team to have also won four games this year.

The two sides meet today at Puketawhero Park at 2.30pm.

Unuwai, the Pikiao coach, said his side showed plenty of character last weekend to defeat Pacific (Tokoroa), after being 20 points down at halftime.

He said instead of dropping their heads Pikiao dug deep to win the game. "When the boys have to dig deep they can ... usually when teams get too far ahead the other side stop playing footy and give up. So it was a really good result for us." He added that if things started to go wrong today against Taupo, his side would need to show that character again.

"It's a big game for us this weekend. We lost to Taupo in round one but we have prepared ourselves [for the game] and everyone is playing well at the moment," he said. "Both sides obviously want to win but whoever performs well will come away with the result."

Unuwai said rather than using the loss in round one as a motivating factor he was simply trying to get his team to take one game at a time, forgetting about other results.

Meanwhile, Turangi have dropped down to reserve grade meaning only five teams remain in the Bay of Plenty Rugby League premier division.

As a result, Ngongotaha will have a bye and Tokoroa's top clubs, Pacific and Forestlands, will face off at Memorial Park tomorrow.

Reserve grade (all games start at 1pm today): Pikiao host Taupo, Mangakino host Ngongotaha, Reporoa host Central, Tauhara host Turangi and Pacific host Putaruru.