With Saturday's 20-9 win over Waihi, Whangamata have kept their semi final hopes alive.  It'll be via the hard track though, thanks to Thames battling to an away 7-3 win over our next match up, Tairua.  So no favours offered here by Thames!

Saturday though, saw Whangamata post their 4th win on the trot, and with each game in the last month basically being a "win and we're still in with a chance of semi  final, lose and we're gone', the equation remains the same next week.

So the latest sudden death match against Waihi.  A solid win with a much re-jigged team pack, that passed its acid test with flying colours, three times forcing the Waihi pack over their own line for potential tries.

Also a grand test for the team, after the regular director of operations, first five Pete Maisey subbed off early in the first spell.  Adam Brien stepped into the ten slot with aplomb, and Chris Eldar slotted into twelve with ease also, and showed that with a little adjustment to the radar, his goal kicking will be just as lethal as that or Maisey, should the need arise again.

Playing into the wind in the first spell, Whangamata were first onto the board in their first foray into Waihi territory with a penalty to Eldar as Waihi gave away penalty after penalty in the opening stanza.  But Waihi struck back, and took the lead with a couple of penalties as Whangamata lost a little structure to their game.

Whangamata got their collective heads back together though, and with some more extended pressure on the Waihi line finally cracked the egg with some slick quick basketball passes from Riki Tipine and Paki Solomon putting flying winger Eli Byles across for the first try, converted by Eldar.

Waihi slotted a third penalty for the half, and this was to be the last of their scoring as Whangamata proceeded to dominate the second 40 minutes.

It was not pretty at times though, with a few overlaps ignored at times and a lot of messy play, but the bottom line, another tick to the win column was the main goal to achieve, and the tick was duly added at fulltime.

A series of scrums on the Waihi line midway through the spell finally saw reward with hooker Ryan Tohaia crashing over to take the lead out to 15-9, and a minute or two later winger Rik Tipine touched down also.  Tipene's try was ceratinly worth a giggle, as the Waihi fullback chasing back a kick through took the ball and forced it over the line, only to his horror then see Tipene pick the ball up and place it a further five metres on over the try line, as opposed to the five metre line.  A real blue, and with the score at 20-9, with it the match was gone.

Although there were uneasy looks from the Red 'n' White fans as memories went back to the first round match where Waihi came from the same sort of deficit with the same time left on the clock.

Not to be ths time out though, with Whangamata battering the Waihi line as they looked for the 4th and bonus point try.  Kudos to Waihi though, they defended ferociously, and made many a half break out as they repelled the waves of red and white.

Solid games all round from the pack, but big kudos to rookie prop Brad Laurenson who is making a mark in the front rank after moving forward from lock.  Also the two rookie locks on the game, Solomon Paki and JJ Joslin.  BIg games in the tight from the two loose forwards.  Tireless performances from the veterans Cunningham, Tohaia and TeHuia on the flanks.

The back division worked tirelessly, chasing kicks like demons all day and nice rewards for the two wings both getting on the score sheet.  BJ Tohaia at halfback was back to his abrasive best too, keeping the opposing fringe defences honest with his surging runs.

Bottom line, or paragraph, a wins a wins a win.  Could have been better, but it's in the bag, and while the rugby has not been pretty over the last few weeks, it has been winning, and that's what it is all about with knock out games, and the next three weeks every game is just that.  As the coaching staff were overheard to say pre match, "three nil will do me, so long as we keep on winning". 

Whangamata 20 (E Byles, R Tohaia, R Tipene tries; Eldar conversion, penalty)
Waihi 9 (3 penalties)

the match in photos