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Lodge City Rentals Hamilton Marist are the 2013 Waikato Premier club rugby champions after a thrilling 26-20 win over Otorohanga at Marist Park.
Defending champions Otorohanga trailed by just one point in the final minutes and were hard on attack with the game on a knife edge, before the ball was turned over and Marist went the length of the field to seal the result.
The visitors had the better start to the match with their aggressive, quick tempo game plan proving effective.
They took an early lead with a penalty from the first five but couldn't convert their good territory into more points.
Hamilton Marist slowly got themselves into the game and, despite having little time in the Otorohanga half, they were able to come away with two first half penalties from first five Wharenui Hawera.
After being the more enterprising team on attack Otorohanga would have felt a little hard done by to go into the halftime break down 6 points to 3, but this was also credit to the staunch and well organized Hamilton Marist defence.
Otorohanga came out in the second half still in their attacking mindset and this time they were able to make it count with a try just three minutes into the half.
A break from prop Josh Ostern, and then strong runs from lock Josh Ferguson and centre Eseroma Nabawala, led to wing Rupeni Seduadua scoring the opening try of the match in the left hand corner to put Otorohanga in front.
Marist responded superbly five minutes later when centre Niko Malo made a break and linked with flanker Marty Holah who threw the final pass for wing Joe Webber to score. Hawera's conversion made it 13-8 to the home side.
The next scoring play was Otorohanga's second try of the day. A controlled build up through several forward drives ended with prop Ted Tauroa barging his way over the line to tie the scores with 20 minutes remaining.
But just moments later Marist were back in the Otorohanga half and Hawera landed a pressure penalty kick to put the hosts back in front.
Marist controlled the next few passages of play and were rewarded with a try to prop Lionel Wairau to give them some breathing space.
Leading 21-13, with just 10 minutes left it seemed like the home team had gained the momentum and looked in control
But Otorohanga's fighting spirit ensured this match was not over. Lock Anthony Wise fought his way over the line in the 74th minute, which was converted to make it a one point game and set up a grandstand finish.
Otorohanga were quickly back on attack and asking big questions of the Marist defence. The visitors inched their way to within 10 metres of the Marist line but with time almost up on the clock and after 24 phases, Luke Karalus secured a turnover.
With all 15 Otorohanga players involved in the attacking movement, Marist launched a counter attack and the scrambling Otorohanga defence couldn't back track in time as centre Niko Malo finished Marist's long range attack to seal the match.
