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Onewhero Summit Homes picked up their first win of the season as they beat Pukekohe Mitre 10 Mega 20-17 in a classic encounter between the two long-time rivals.

The home side had gone close to beating Ardmore Marist a fortnight ago and had pushed most teams hard all season but had not been able to hang on for a win.

That changed as they held off a late Pukekohe rally and moved off the bottom of the McNamara Cup standings.

“We went into the week saying it was do or die for us really,” assistant coach Sean Bagshaw said. “We went in with a plan and the boys stuck to that. After about 20 minutes we fell away but we got stuck back in during the second half and scrape away with win.

“The coaching staff are pretty happy and the boys were stoked as well.”

Onewhero head coach Jason Myks said during the week that a win could turn around his club’s fortunes and that one win would bring more. Bagshaw agrees having seen how his side responded to getting the monkey off their backs.

“The boys were ecstatic – they were cheering and bouncing around and were almost like a new team,” Bagshaw explained. “They got that confidence – you know how it is with rugby – if you have that confidence the wins can keep on flowing.”

Ardmore Marist South Auckland Motors flexed their muscles as they thumped Waiuku Brian James Contracting 41-7 at Bruce Pulman Park.

The home side took a 14-0 lead into the break before piling on the points in a dominant second half.

In all they scored six tries and moved into a share of second place on the standings.

“It was a tough game but I am pretty happy with how my side played,” coach Doug Sanft said. “We have a bit of work to go adapting to the new rules and the way the referees are policing them.

“We will keep working at that but otherwise I was pretty happy with how we performed.

“Waiuku are a quality side and Vuga [coach Vuga Tagicakibau] is doing a fantastic job with them so we are pleased to get the points against them.”

Karaka picked up a convincing 45-14 win over neighbours Papakura to keep pace with the championship leaders.

Craig Hill’s side started the match on fire, racing out to a 33-0 lead in a dominant first half of football.

They had to work a lot harder in the second half but still managed to secure maximum points for their efforts.

“First half was very good by us,” Hill said. “We managed to secure some good set piece ball and that allowed us to be a bit more expansive than we have in the last couple of games.

“The backs managed to capitalize on that.

“First half with Baden [Steelers first-five Baden Kerr] there running the show with his communication and direction was there to see.

“Second half we did get penalized a lot and we were probably a bit lazy around the ruck area.”

Bombay continued their strong run of form with 37-22 win over a struggling Patumahoe Troydon Patumahoe Hotel at Patumahoe Domain.

The visitors outscored Patumahoe five tries to three to secure their spot in the competition’s top four a month into the restarted competition.

“I am really proud of the boys’ effort yesterday,” coach Paul Wheeler said. “It was probably the best collective effort of the season so far.

“We knew Patty were definitely going to bring it to us at the start on the back of a few losses and they were keen to stay in the fight for 80 minutes. They came back at us towards the end.

“I thought the boys managed the game pretty well and built quite a bit of pressure on them and that tended to result in points.”

Patumahoe, struggling with the likes of captain Riley Hohepa out injured, have now dropped four-straight matches.

Their Patumahoe Dave Redshaw Electrical Premier 2 side is going much better however as they ran out 17-7 winners over Bombay. Elsewhere Manurewa Wise Property Management claimed a comfortable 41-7 win over near neighbours Weymouth while Karaka thumped Papakura 65-12.

Puni picked up a memorable 40-12 win over defending champs Maramarua in Sid Marshall Shield action. Ardmore Marist had a narrow 33-27 win over Drury while leaders Te Kauwhata accounted for Tuakau 31-5.

Papakura and Karaka played out a 19-all draw in Massey Cup U21 play. In other matches Patumahoe Albycon Ltd beat neighbours Pukekohe 36-12 and Waiuku claimed a 20-12 victory over Bombay.

Pukekohe defended the U85kg Cup with a 54-5 win over Te Kauwhata while Waiuku edged Karaka 22-13 in the Counties Power Game of the Week. Papakura pipped Patumahoe Pak n Save 7-5 while Bombay beat Onewhero Bottle’O Tuakau 18-3.

Manurewa women beat North Harbour 51-12 while Puni had a 32-14 win over Patumahoe Searle Group. Ardmore Marist went down 45-3 to Marist.

Wesley College claimed bragging rights with an 18-7 win over arch rivals Manurewa High School in their televised clash.

McNamara Cup (Premier 1)

Papakura 14

(Valeli Fu’a,Timothy Faimasasa tries; Justin Buguet 2 cons)

Karaka 45

(Nikolai Foliaki 2, Samuel Hofoka, Antonio Kata 2, Talalelei Moil, Deniro Refiti tries; Larenz Tupaea-Thomsen, Baden Kerr 4 cons)

HT: 0-33

Patumahoe Troydon Patumahoe Hotel 22

(William Furniss, Kalim North, Matthew Malins tries; Harley Jenkins 2 cons; Jonny Wilkinson pens)

Bombay 37

(Johnathan Kawau, Rowland-Keni Kotobalavu, Francis Masoe, Davie O’Connell, Sepuloni Talfa tries; Albert Nikoro 3 cons;  Albert Nikoro 2 pens)

HT: 8-22

Ardmore Marist South Auckland Motors 41

(Lafaele Ikenasio, Selwyn Molia, Viliame Rarasea, Karl Ropati 2, Savelio Ropati tries; Luteru Laulala, Matt Storm 3 cons; Luteru Laulala pens)

Waiuku Brian James Contracting 7

(Terence Dolan tries; Christian Walker cons)

HT: 14-0

Onewhero Summit Homes 20

(Cameron Roigard, Kieran Whyte, Jackson Orr tries;  Nathan Langsford cons; Cameron Roigard DK)

Pukekohe Mega Mitre 10 Pukekohe 17

(Brodie Cathcart, James Orr,Semesa Saukuru tries; Jarrod Halliday cons)

HT: 12-5

BYE Manurewa Kidd Contracting (Counties Power Cup Holders)

Bob Chandler Memorial (Premier 2)

Papakura 12 Karaka 65; Patumahoe Dave Redshaw Electrical 17 Bombay 7; Manurewa Wise Property Management 41 Weymouth 7

Sid Marshall Shield (Premier 3)

Puni 40 Maramarua 12; Drury 27 Ardmore Marist 33; Tuakau 5 Te Kauwhata 31

Massey Cup (U21)

Papakura 19 Karaka 19 ; Bombay 12 Waiuku 20; Pukekohe 12 Patumahoe Albycon Ltd 36

Under 85kg

Pukekohe (U85kg Cup Holders) 54 Te Kauwhata 5; Karaka 13 Waiuku 22 (Counties Power Game of the Week) ; Patumahoe Pak N Save Pukekohe 5 Papakura 7; Bombay 18 Onewhero Bottle’O Tuakau 3

Women’s

Marist 45 Ardmore Marist 3 ; North Harbour 12 Manurewa 51; Puni 32 Patumahoe Searle Group 14 ; Papakura 49 Papatoetoe 5

1^st XV

Wesley College 18 Manurewa High School 7