Day 1 Masters – Over 30/35 Mens Match Report: Waikato vs North Harbour
This match started at a simmer but soon reached to a boil underneath the scorching hot sun. North Harbour's team featured the likes of Stacy Tapsell and Fletcher Prendergast and would have been fancied to edge out Waikato.
Harbour's attack started the strongest with their early attack looking sharp and more in step than Waikato. After cracking the Waikato's defence early on, Harbour continued to pile on the pressure through Bradley Norman who benefitted from quick hands in the middle to extend the lead.
Waikato hot back not long after through Tau Moeke who shimmed left, right and then dived over from an exclamation mark.
The match quickly turned into a touchdown for touchdown affair with North Harbour's Tapsell finding pace in the in-gaol and then Moeke scoring again with a diving effort that would have garnered a big pop in the WWE.
Harbour were up 5-4 at halftime but by the end of the half Waikato were starting to click as the match progressed. As the second half began the arm wrestle began to turn in Waikato's favour; they scored first in the opening minute and then twice more in short time to take not only the initiative but also the lead 7-5.
Dave Nafoa caught the ball while diving and finished the movement by scoring and getting the scores back to 7-6. This was just a blip for Waikato's charge who then scored again though Shane Mckee and Murry Sturt to have control of the game.
Harbour hit back late in the match to make the final score 10-9 but Waikato held their nerve for a strong win.
Last Modified on 24/02/2013 19:53