Tauranga City supporters were taken on a bizarre journey at Links Ave against Papakura City before they all went home smiling after scoring a 4-3 win yesterday.
The first half was all about the South Aucklanders as they harried the home team off the ball and aided by a stiffening diagonal wind, put three unanswered goals away to lead 3-0 at the break.
But Papakura never looked like scoring again as Tauranga's trademark free flowing football - plus judicial use of the long ball Sam Alladyce would have been proud of - resulted in a rousing second 45 minutes that produced a hat-trick to Jack McNab and one to Andy Cooper to see the boys in blue home 4-3.
The win means Tauranga City replaces Papakura in the top three promotion spots and they will be confident of getting a result at Forrest Hill Milford next Saturday.
Papakura came into the second of the Easter double-headers with the best attacking record in the Northern League Div 2 and the top goal scorer in Harry Hillary-Jenkins. He was the star attacking turn in the first half, scoring one himself and being heavily involved in the others.