Reserve hooker Tomasi Maka proved a super sub as the Tasman Mako snatched a last minute 31-27 victory over Otago at Trafalgar Park tonight.
As the injury and error count mounted, the Mako looked set to lose a match they desperately wanted to win to honour their late former captain Shane Christie.
They trailed 24-17 with nine minutes to play but Tomasi twice got on the back of rolling mauls and scored amongst a mass of bodies.
The match had started so well as prop Ryan Coxon linked with halfback Mitch Drummond who put fullback David Havili away in the corner in the sixth minute.
But Otago hit back when loose forward Lucas Casey intercepted a pass on half-way, scooted clear and offloaded to centre Josh Timu to level the scores.
Then 20 minutes into the match came the first of a series of injuries with second five Timoci Tavatavanawai forced off with a suspected broken arm.
The last time "Jim the Bus" played at Trafalgar Park, also at night, he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Auckland last year.
To compound matters, the visitors went ahead after kicking long from a lineout on half-way. There was no-one at home for the Mako and exciting young halfback Dylan Pledger won the race for the ball.
His counterpart Mitch Drummond then slowly limped off the field.
The lead was short lived though as centre Leicester Fainga'anuku carved through the Otago defence on a 20-metre solo run.
But after the half-time hooter sounded, Otago won a penalty and kicked for the line. From the resulting drive, hooker Henry Bell muscled his way over for a 21-17 lead at the break.
A thumb injury prevented loose forward Ethan Blackadder coming back for the second half, in his 50th match for Tasman, while Antonio Shalfoon was limited to 40 minutes in his first game of the NPC season.
There were no points in the third quarter but the home side kept losing players with hooker Eli Oudenryn also limping off. He was replaced by Sydney-born Tongan Tomasi Maka.
The penalty count was also mounting and Cameron Miller stretched Otago's lead to seven.
Tomasi drove over for his first try in the 71st minute and William Havili's sideline conversion levelled it up at 24-all.
But Cameron responded with a second penalty goal in the 77th minute for Otago to edge ahead again 27-24.
Time up, the Mako were awarded a penalty 47 metres out.
Rather than go for a draw, William kicked for the line and from the resulting lineout drive Tomasi grabbed his second try.
William, who had been hit hard fielding a high ball minutes earlier, then nailed another sideline conversion for the 31-27 win.
The Mako even managed the four try bonus point to remain third on the table, three points behind unbeaten Canterbury.
Earlier, a four-try burst in the third quarter saw the Otago Spirit overwhelm the Tasman Mako women 48-15 in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Tries to outstanding Mako hooker Jett Hayward and wing Kim Lammers, who grabbed five last week, had the home side just 17-15 down at half-time.
Former Tasman fullback turned Otago flanker Sarah Jones made a dynamic return to Trafalgar Park with tries in both halves as she proved unstoppable close to the line.
She also converted the eighth and final try as the Spirit scored 31 unanswered second-half points to remain unbeaten.
