Liam Squire scored a wonderful try for the Makos
© Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

Matches: Tasman 18 - 9 Hawke's Bay

External Links: ITM Cup Premiership and Championship standings

Tasman secured a scintillating victory over Hawke's Bay at Trafalgar Park in Napier to move to the top of the ITM Cup Championship ladder.

The lack of tries in the match didn't equate to a lack in quality as both sides produced a high skill-set befitting a top-of-the-table clash. With offloads aplenty and a superb kicking display, the only thing missing from the match was a generous helping of five-pointers. Still, the crowd at Trafalgar Park witnessed something special on the 66-minute mark, when Tasman No.8 Liam Squire finished a superb chip kick from Joe Wheeler to give the hosts their second lead of the game.

Tasman captain Shane Christie scored the only other try of the game, after a superb drive over the line from a scrum in the first half, and Hawke's Bay 's lack of five-pointers illustrated their inability to capitalise fully on significant possession and scoring opportunities when they were guilty of ignoring X-factor players such as Ihaia West and Zac Guildford. Hawke's Bay replacement flanker Karl Lowe, meanwhile, continued a wretched run of injuries when he hobbled off after 62 minutes.

The visitors played the first half with a strong breeze, but they scored only two penalties through West before Christie's try reduced the margin to one point at half-time.

Tasman second five-eighths Tom Marshall and West then traded penalties as Hawke's Bay retained a one-point lead with a quarter of the match to play before the moment of brilliance from the unlikeliest of players that essentially decided the result. Wheeler received the ball and placed a deft chip kick behind the first line of defence as Squire charged through, the No.8 diving and placing the ball just in front of the dead ball line ahead of Hawke's Bay fullback Trinity Spooner-Neera.

Billy Guyton converted and added a penalty to give the hosts a nine-point buffer with minutes to play. Squire then almost claimed a second try courtesy of a lazy clearance kick from West that was charged down in goal, but score was not awarded.