Reserves come to rescue again

Veteran prop Shaun McDonough and his team dug deep to get home against Poverty Bay on Saturday. PHOTO/FILE

It was the second get-out-of-jail comeback in as many weeks but this time Steelform Wanganui had only 20 minutes in Gisborne to save themselves for their 25-21 victory in the fourth round of Pink Batts Heartland Championship.

And their captain thinks personnel changes could well be on the cards as once again it needed impact from the reserves to snap the lack of urgency which has handicapped their starts in 2013, and gain four crucial competition points away from home.

Wanganui's poor tackling and flawed execution saw Poverty Bay run in three tries through flanker Leon Ake and a double to winger Sisa Vosaki for a 21-8 advantage heading into the final quarter.

It was Pirates club men who then added the missing spark as No8 Lasa Ulukuta powered his way over for two tries with his team storming down to Poverty Bay's line, having also been denied two other tries after being held up or forced out in a pulsating final 13 minutes.

Stepping up were Ulukuta's clubmates in the reserves, forwards Faalafi Vave and Simon Hillis added running momentum and key lineout steals respectively, while for the second Saturday in a row Marton's midfielder Soonalate Tauailoto entered the fray and smashed his way through tiring defence.

Cool youngster Zyon Hekenui converted both five-pointers and added a penalty to his first half tally where he scored Wanganui's opening try.

However, stand-in captain Vaan Rauhina said Poverty Bay could have even snatched the game back late, but opted to tap and run from free kicks rather than taking a shot at a couple of three-pointers.

"The week's focus was about getting a good start, eliminating that laid back attitude.

"That didn't take place again, sort of made things hard.

"We may even have to look at our combinations those guys we brought on in the second half gave us energy and go forward."

Rauhina, who will bring up his 50th game milestone this Saturday, said Wanganui bombed some early opportunities and then let Poverty Bay cut through.

"It wasn't set piece [issues], it was broken play.

"The effort was there, we probably just lacked that urgency in executing."

Coach Karl Hoskin said once again, his team had done the right things for only a portion of the game 20 minutes this time unlike the 40 minutes against South Canterbury.

"It just took so long to get together.

"Poverty Bay had us for 60 minutes and they died off.

"Zyon kicked us home pretty much.

"The steady joke is we do the America's Cup thing let them out at the starters gate and overtake them at the finish line."

As well as Hillis and Hekenui, Hoskin singled out veteran prop Shaun McDonough for digging in deep.

"The starting XV wore them down, then Soonalate and Faalafi came on and gave us some punch."

The team also had concerns with some interpretations from young referee Angus Mabey, but Hoskin said they had a productive discussion with him after the game as Mabey will likely have the whistle this Saturday against Thames Valley.

The four points took on even bigger implications after yet another topsy-turvy weekend where both Mid Canterbury and Thames Valley lost their unbeaten records to North Otago and King Country, while only one game was decided by more than seven points.

There is now a log jam on the table where Wanganui is only four points from the top, but still back in eighth position.

Make no mistake, for the next month every match will be do-or-die if Wanganui wish to keep their hopes of a Meads Cup semifinal appearance alive.

For the first time in five weeks Hoskin had no further injuries to report and is also expecting regular captain Peter Rowe, flanker Bradley Graham and returning soldier Sonny Woodmass to all be available for selection at Cooks Gardens.

Wanganui 25 (Lasa Ulukuta 2, Zyon Hekenui tries, Hekenui 2 con, 2 pen) bt Poverty Bay 21 (Sisa Vosaki 2, Leon Ake tries, Sam Parkes 3 con). HT: 14-8 Poverty Bay.