They haven't come off completely but there's a definite wobble in the wheels of the Bay of Plenty rugby team.

The Steamers went down 26-17 to a fired up Otago side at Carisbrook on Saturday night, completing their third away loss of the season and slipping them back to fourth spot.

The loss came after the visitors had scored two powerful tries in the first half to lead 17-10 at the break but were then shut out by the beleaguered Otago side in the second spell.

"That was probably the worst 40 minutes of our season," Steamers coach Sean Horan said. "We just made too many bad decisions. They cost us big time and then they just applied the pressure and we just capitulated under it and that's probably the first time we've done that this season."

The Bay played that second half like a team running out of form. The forwards never got on top and the backs lacked any spark and they fell foul of referee Matt Stanish.

Flanker Luke Braid went to the sinbin for a stupid spear tackle on Otago centre Brett Mather to cap the frequent infringements.

In possession Bay play-makers like Mike Delany, Phil Burleigh and Colin Bourke just could not pick the right options at the right time. Centre Wayne Hughson was also guilty of running away from his supports.

"A few individuals just did not quite execute the way they should have," assistant coach Steve Miln admitted. ""Individually there were guys out there that were off the whole game and in this competition you get found out. Some individuals have to have a hard look at themselves."

Miln said his backline ran far too deep and was too lateral, becoming easy targets for the Otago defenders, and that Otago didn't engage much at ruck and maul time and that was hard for the team to adapt to.

It's left the Steamers with a short turn around to get their Air New Zealand Cup campaign back on track, facing Hawke's Bay in Rotorua on Friday night.

The good news is both Tanerau Latimer (All Blacks) and John Moore (rested) are expected back in training today at Baypark.

They'll be needed for the "Battle of the Bays" with the Magpies on a roll after beating Manawatu on Saturday to win the Kel Tremain Trophy, lifting them above the Steamers for the first time this season.

Otago coach Steve Martin, meanwhile, believed there was a lot more steel in his side after a dreadful start to the season.

The forwards won their set piece ball, drove hard and low at the breakdown, and met fire with fire in the tackle ball area.

First-five Glenn Dickson, in only his third start for the side, helped put Otago on the score sheet after just 3mins when he exploded through a gap, and in-passed to the energetic Eben Joubert. Joubert then found flying fullback Smith who dotted down to give Otago an early lead.

Bay of Plenty replied quickly and lock Culum Retallick wrestled his way over and won a questionable penalty by referee Matt Stanish just before halftime from which Colin Bourke took a quick tap and Braid went over.

But the home team took over in the second half. Dickson banged over a couple of easy penalties and then put through a nice grubber kick. Smith showed his best soccer skills to tow the ball on and score.

Best for the visitors were Braid and first-five Mike Delany, and lock Retallick tried hard but many of the visiting players went missing in the second half.

Horan said they were bitterly disappointed with the woeful performance which still leaves the Bay union winless at Carisbrook during the last 30 years.

"The boys are hurting and we've probably played our last get-out-of-jail-free-card," he said.