The Waikato Chiefs showed good character to narrowly hold off a determined but patchy Waratahs outfit and gain their first win of the 2008 season after failing to protect a 12-0 halftime lead.

The home side had out of form first five Stephen Donald largely to thank for the win as he kicked a difficult penalty in the dieing minutes to seal a tense win.

After the match first five Stephen Donald wryly admitted that the wind at Waikato Stadium had plagued his goal kicking all week and that his crucial 79th minute penalty goal was "probably the only one I've kicked (successfully) from that end all week."

Donald acknowledged that the deceptively strong wind in Hamilton had rendered field and goal kicking almost pointless, declaring that his side had resigned themselves to "bashing out a win tonight."

And in a game where possession favoured the Tahs by just 49% and territory the Chiefs by just 52% it was always going to be momentary lapses that made the difference - the Tahs on the night didn't get the 'rub of the green' as lady luck showed them little affection. Replacement halfback Luke Burgess will rue impulsively kicking away possession from a precious tap penalty attacking opportunity late in the game and centre Ben Jacobs won't easily forget botching two clear cut try scoring chances with the wind behind the Tahs in the second half. Perhaps most agonizingly replacement back Sam Harris gave away possession and territory in the with a poor kick in the 79th minute that lead to the match winning penalty kick.

The Chiefs had the better of the opening exchanges into the wind but repeated handling errors stymied attempts to crack the NSW defence. Conversely the visitors kept haemorrhaging penalties for ruck and offside offences, gifting the home side a glut of early possession and territory.

First points came just shy of the quarter hour as Liam Messam profited on quick ruck ball five metres from the Waratah's line and brushed through the tackle of first five Kurtley Beale to barge over.

On twenty minutes Beale almost made amends with a side stepping incision through the home defence from 20 metres out with a try only saved by a desperate last ditch Mils Muliaina tackle.

Just shy of the half hour mark the Chiefs took a quick lineout just inside the Tahs half and Sitiveni Sivivatu carved through a ragged line NSW defensive line. The All Black winger scythed through four defenders, selling a huge dummy to Wycliff Palu, before diving over the line in the cover defence tackle of Rocky Elsom.

Fortuitously for the home side replays revealed - after the try was awarded - that Sivivatu had actually failed to ground the ball.

At halftime the Chiefs would have been disappointed with 10 handling errors and 40% possession but delighted to be leading 12-0 after having the wind advantage.

But five minutes later Chief's centre Richard Kahui showed his prodigious talent hitting the line with speed, fending of Brett Sheehan, standing up Lote Tuqiri with a dummy and driving over in the tackle of fullback Lachie Turner for the third try. It was a bittersweet moment for Kahui, though, as he injured his ankle badly whilst scoring and was forced from the field.

The Tahs struck back with their first try almost immediately from the kick off.

They won a scrum 30 metres out from the Chiefs line and Kurtly Beale executed a sweet midfield set move as centre Ben Jacobs ran from deep and hit a perfect inside pop pass from his No 10 at full speed. Jacobs then burst into the clear with only Sivivatu within tackling range but the Chiefs winger hesitated expecting a pass to Timana Tahu and Jacobs pinned his ears back to race away and score.

The visitors then conspired to botch two clear cut chances to score as Jacobs' hands let him down close to the try line with the defence stretched thin. Soon after he neglected to utilise a tantalising overlap with a lazy pass that sailed over his winger's head and into touch.

On 69 minutes Stephen Donald lost the ball over the Tahs line as he threw himself at the defence after several phases of strong attack from the Chiefs.

And three minutes later replacement midfield back Sam Harris came screaming out of no-where to intercept a risky Sivivatu pass and canter away under the posts for an easy converted try.

The Chiefs were doing their best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as Messam gave up possession inside his half and the Tahs counterattacked quickly with four quick wide passes finding a massive overlap that Lote Tuqiri ignored before managing to score anyway. The scores were tied 17-17 with Beale lining up a tough conversion five metres in from touch which narrowly slid wide.

But then disaster struck for the Tahs as Sam Harris undid his earlier good work with a kick into touch on the full that allowed the Chiefs a golden attacking opportunity on the NSW 22. The Chiefs attacked and after three phases the home side won a penalty kick at goal roughly 35 metres out, 10 metres in from touch, with two minutes remaining and a strong breeze blowing in Donald's face.

The burly Waikato first five showed no trace of nerves and confidently slotted the kick to banish memories of his recent poor kicking form.

As the final minute ticked down the home side collected the kick off and soaked up the remaining time with forward drives. Appropriately it was then Donald who booted the ball into touch to conclude proceedings.

Chiefs: Tries: Liam Messam, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Richard Kahui. Con: Stephen Donald (1) Pen: Donald (1).

Waratahs: Tries: Ben Jacobs, Sam Harris, Lote Tuqiri. Con: Kurtley Beale (1)

Halftime: 12-0 (Chiefs)