Mako pushed off top of table by Waikato at Trafalgar Park

An unbeaten run at Trafalgar Park that dated back to 2018 came to a crushing halt at the hands of Waikato as the Tasman Mako went down 39-22 in their top-of-the-table Bunnings NPC premiership clash in Nelson this evening.

It may have been a blessing for the Mako that more fans were not in attendance for what was a sub-par performance, one that saw the side suffer its first loss of the season.

Skipper Mitch Hunt struck early to put first points on the board for the Mako, but it would be until the second spell before they added to their total.

Fletcher Smith responded with a penalty for the Mooloo men as both sides squandered solid attacking opportunities in the opening quarter.

Then, against the run of play, Waikato bagged the opener with fullback Matty Lansdown showing great speed and ball control to beat the covering defence following a loose pass from Shannon Frizell.

The visitors went back-to-back in spectacular fashion soon after, Liam Coombs-Fabling finished off a brilliant break by Bailyn Sullivan.

Waikato were reduced to 14 men when hooker Steven Misa was shown yellow after a succession of penalties conceded, then there was a lengthy delay as Mako prop Ryan Coxon was stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury.

Desperate defense continued to keep the Mako at bay and the competition leaders were kept try less in the opening 40.

Despite spending almost seven minutes inside Waikato’s 22, Tasman could manage only three points in contrast to the visitors who spent just 10 seconds and came away with 15 points before the break.

Waikato continued their march early in the second, midfielder Gideon Wrampling waltzing through some feeble defence to score under the sticks.

The Mako finally broke the shackles in the 51st minute, Leicester Fainga’anuku scoring the host’s first try with the winger proving too strong close to the line.

However, Waikato struck back immediately to regain the ascendency, halfback Cortez Ratima brushing off three poor tackle attempts to claim the bonus point.

Macca Springer entered the fray to for his Mako debut as a second Smith penalty stretched the lead past 20.

Shannon Frizell and the returning Andrew Makalio offered some late hope with two more close range tries for Tasman, but fittingly Waikato had the final say, a pinpoint Smith cross finding Coombs-Fabling who soared through the air to claim his second.

The Mako fought until the final whistle, but Waikato had done enough to shut out the defending champions and leapfrog the Mako to the top of the premiership table.

Scorers:  Waikato 39 (Coombs-Fabling 2, Lansdown, Wrampling, Cortez Ratima tries, Smith 4 con, 2 pen) Tasman 22 (Fainga’anuku, Frizell, Makalio tries, Hunt 2 cons, pen).