IT WAS the most competitive round of the Tasman Tanning Premier competition so far with three teams now jostling for the priceless fourth spot on the ladder, while the competition's leaders could not easily shake the wooden-spooners at the Ratana Pa on Saturday.
PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape would have factored a probable cricket score to help lift their for/against tally when they defended the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield against Harvey Round Motors Ratana.
Instead, they were held to a 4-2 try match and just a 10-point winning margin by the home side, leading 17-5 at half time but with both teams scoring just once in the second stanza for 22-12.
Tryscoring No8 Hamish Bennett was game MVP, while Ratana's forwards stepped up, including hooker Scott Komene and flanker Charlie Mete, to make it the closest Ratana have come to success this season.
Black Bull Liquor Pirates got a much-needed boost in what was a do-or-die match at Spriggens Park, beating Utiku Old Boys 35-14 to stay in the hunt for fourth while consigning the other Taihape team to the reality of a struggling season.