Auckland hold out Northland

Auckland held on to edge Northland in a low-scoring national provincial crossover match at Eden Park yesterday afternoon.

Premiership outfit Auckland, coming off an equally narrow 16-14 loss to Counties Manukau in Pukekohe last week, weren’t convincing but did enough to secure their first win of the competition.

Both teams made too many mistakes to gain any sort of control, Auckland’s gritty defence probably proving the deciding factor.

Northland opened the scoring after 12 minutes with a Peter Breen penalty after Auckland fullback Jordan Trainor had been binned for a dangerous challenge in the air.

The visitors couldn’t capitalise further, and looked to have conceded when former All Black Malakai Fekitoa crashed over in the 18th minute.

But referee Shuhei Kubo ruled the Toulon-bound midfielder had lost the ball forward over the line, leaving Auckland scoreless.

They did manage to see out the rest of their spell with 14 men without conceding, Jono Hickey’s 21st minute penalty levelling the scores just before Trainor’s return.

Auckland looked good on the counter-attack but continued to have trouble nailing the final pass in gusty winds and sweeping rain.

They finally delivered five minutes out from halftime, with replacement hooker Kurt Eklund barging over from the confusion of a disorganised attacking lineout.

Hickey’s conversion gave Auckland a 10-3 lead at the break, a margin they struggled to extend despite the improving conditions.

Northland struck back with a devastating counter-attack down the left touchline after 53 minutes, and good support play was rewarded with a storming try to Crusaders wing Jone Macilai.

The try went unconverted, and with neither team managing any real territorial dominance, Auckland did enough to hold on for the win.

Auckland 10 (K. Eklund try; J. Hickey pen, con) Northland 8 (J. Macilai try; P. Breen pen). Halftime: 10-3. —NZN