This was a nighttime, confused brawl. The Marines defended all along the line of the creek, although the north end of the line, anchored on the beach, was slightly weak. The Japanese concentrated a larger portion of their force in the north, and were able to make a limited breakthrough there in the first hour of battle. A few Japanese platoons filtered through but were left leaderless and so were pinned in place. At the south end of the line, the Marines concentrated two company sized forces into a series of counterattacks, gaining superiority over the Japanese in the south. By the end of the second hour the Marines had swept north up the line and routed the Ichiki detachment. A major turnaround resulting in an American victory.