The 16-14 loss to Horowhenua-Kapiti in Oamaru was not the start to the campaign they were after.
Despite having most of the ball in the second half, handling errors and poor discipline stopped them crossing the line.
You would have needed a calculus degree to add up the amount of penalties they conceded.
That was eventually their undoing as they gave the visitors too many chances to kick for goal.
Fergus Read also received a yellow card late in the piece for repeated infringements to add insult to injury.
When North Otago were able to string phases together, they looked dangerous and offered plenty of variation in their attack.
Defensively, they were reasonably sharp, but when you give away as many penalties as they did, it is difficult to stop the opposition’s momentum.
Second five Tini Feke was outstanding in a losing effort.
He was almost never brought down by the first defender and used both his slick footwork and raw power to great effect.
Prop Livisani Tuifua also put in a great shift coming off the bench.
He scrummed well and was busy at the breakdown and maul to go along with some bruising carries from the big man.
Horowhenua-Kapiti were on the board first through the boot of first five Brandyn Laursen.
North Otago then opened their account for 2024 with a rolling maul that led to a try to hooker Ryusei Kato.
Horowhenua-Kapiti then snatched the lead back after a sustained period in the North Otago 22m.
Eventually, they opened a hole for second five Connor Paki to crash over.
A second Laursen penalty gave his side a six-point lead before North Otago ran in their second try against the run of play.
Horowhenua-Kapiti tried to work a backdoor play off a scrum but a bobbled pass fell into the hands of winger Seva Druma.
He then pinned his ears back and dotted down under the sticks.
Greg Dyer knocked over the conversion to give North Otago the lead heading into the sheds.
North Otago will have to pull themselves up by their bootstraps this week before heading north to play Thames Valley this weekend.
Thames Valley opened their campaign with a 37-24 win over Wairarapa-Bush in Masterton.
Defending champions South Canterbury came from 11 points down to pip Whanganui 37-36, Mid Canterbury edged King Country 30-27, West Coast beat Poverty Bay 38-29, and Buller defeated East Coast 13-11.
Heartland Championship
The scores
Horowhenua-Kapiti 16
Connor Paki try; Brandyn Laursen con, 3 pen
North Otago 14
Ryusei Kato, Seva Druma tries; Greg Dyer 2 con
Halftime: North Otago 14-13.
