Waikato have pulled away for their third National Provincial Championship (NPC) victory in their last four matches.
The Mooloos grabbed a bonus point with a last-minute clinching try from reserve halfback and co-captain Xavier Roe in a 34-19 win over Northland at Hamilton's FMG Stadium Waikato on Wednesday night.
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In an entertaining first half, which featured six tries, Waikato scored three straight tries and 21 unanswered points to lead 21-5 after 22 minutes. But the Taniwha hit back before the break, with two tries to pull within two at halftime.
Nathan Salmon opened the third minute after halfback Lisati Milo-Harris took a quick penalty and found the wing with a pin-point cross-field kick.
The lead was short-lived as the home side answered through flanker Oli Mathis (sixth minute), halfback Quintony Ngatai (13th) and wing Aki Tuivailala (21st), before Milo-Harris and second-five Quinton Nichols countered for Northland.
Tepaea Cook-Savage made it a two-score game with successful penalties in the 46th and 67th minutes, then Roe added the icing in the 80th minute, finishing off a move featuring flanker Xavier Saifoloi and second-five Austin Anderson.
The win lifted Waikato to fifth in the NPC standings, just a point outside of the top-four.
In Round 5, the two teams complete their 'Storm Week' schedules on Sunday, with Waikato away to Taranaki in New Plymouth (kick-off 2.05pm) and Northland visiting Counties Manukau in Pukekohe (kick-off 4.35pm).
Waikato 34 (Oli Mathis, Quintony Ngatai, Aki Tuivailala, Xavier Roe tries; Tepaea Cook-Savage 4 con, 2 pen) Northland 19 (Nathan Salmon, Lisati Milo-Harris, Quinton Nichols tries; Dan Hawkins 2 con). HT: 21-19