Valley and Maheno only unbeaten teams in Citizens Shield

VALLEY and Maheno are the only unbeaten teams in Citizens Shield rugby after two rounds.

Valley, leading 240 over Kurow at halftime, added only a Jake Matthews penalty in the second spell as Kurow charged into the second half to get within five points at 2419.

Matthews’ penalty gave Valley a 2719 lead before late in the game Nicholas Bird’s try left the home side a solitary point off a deserved draw.

Valley dominated the first half, flanker Jason Fakatoufifita scoring twice and Tim Tanipole adding an unconverted try.

Brad McKenzie at fullback added a couple of conversions to maintain Valley’s unbeaten run.

Maheno was always in control at the Maheno Domain, where it brushed aside Excelsior 4712.

It put on three tries in the first half with Forrest Beer, and fullback Nick McLennan scoring the first of his treble, while Robbie Smith added two conversions to give the home side its 190 halftime lead.

Excelsior struck back early in the second half with a Cody Jamieson try converted by Josh Phipps.

Maheno lifted the pace in the final 40 minutes as McLennan, who got two tries, Jacob Day, and Marcus Balchin added tries.

Athletic Marist, which had a rugged season in 2019, had an encouraging performance against Old Boys on the Whitestone Contracting main field.

Old Boys still had a 3821 win. Athletic Marist let in early tries to Lemi Masoe and Inake Naufahu for Old Boys to lead 140.

Athletic Marist’s most experienced forward, Jared Whitburn, led from the front and 15 minutes in, Mason Kinzett converted a Whitburn try to put the side on the board 147.

Naufahu added an unconverted try to lead 197.

The final 10 minutes of the first half belonged to Athletic Marist as the side, against the odds, charged in tries to Paea Kava, and Lanlee Finau and the accurate boot of Kinzett had the Athletic followers roaring as the side went to halftime with a 2119 lead.

But there was to be no fairytale ending.

The expertise of experienced Lemi Masoe whipped in two tries in the space of six minutes and Naufahu’s conversions shattered the Athletic dream.

Old Boys scrambled to victory with an Naufahu Katoa try adding some late icing.