HAMILTON, led by a committed forward pack, produced a classic display of wet-weather rugby to grind out a 15-0 win over Lake Macquarie at a sodden Passmore Oval on Saturday.
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Constant rain turned the pitch into a quagmire and made shifting the ball wide difficult.
As a result, Hamilton were content to kick to the corners and apply pressure at the set piece.
Their cause was helped by a 15-1 penalty count against the Roos in the first half.
Most of those indiscretions were at the scrum, where the visitors were constantly in reverse, and at the breakdown.
Lake Macquarie had captain Jarrod Nyssen (late tackle) and Wendell Wilson (repeated infringements) sent to the sinbin.
Despite a flood of possession and territory, the Hawks led only 7-0 at the break after No.8 Joe Akkersdyk dived on the ball from the back of a five-metre scrum in the 13th minute.
The second half was a repeat of the first.
The Roos lost two more players to the sinbin and had to defend for large periods. Still they hung on until midway through the second half.
Finally the pressure took its toll. Hamilton scored from a five-metre lineout, with breakaway Liam Bowden crashing over at the back of a driving maul.
Connor Mullhearn, missed with the conversion but added a penalty in the 60th minute to take the game out of reach for the visitors.
No.8 Joe Akkersdyk and breakaway Steve Lamont were immense for the Hawks.
Blindside breakaway Mika Iopa led the way for the Roos, who showed plenty of steel in defence.
The win moved defending premiers the Hawks to the top of the table on points differential, above Merewether who had the bye.
Elsewhere, Nimi Qio scored two tries to lead Wanderers to a hard-fought 19-13 win over Nelson Bay at No.2 Sportsgroud.
The Two Blues came from 5-0 down to lead 12-5 at half-time.
Rhys Dombkins burrowed over from close range to get the visitors back in it at 12-10.
Enter Qio. After an initial burst from replacement Dan Kevill, the Fijian went the short side and ran over three defenders to score.
The Bay kicked a penalty to get within a converted try but the Two Blues held strong.
At Bernie Curran Oval, the boot of Uni fly-half Deon McNabb proved the difference as the Students edged out Southern Beaches 26-14. Both sides scored two tries but McNabb landed two conversions and four penalties.
In the final game, Maitland flexed their muscles, running in nine tries, to overpower Singleton 53-24 at Rugby Park.
