An improved second-half effort led to an away win for Tauranga City United against Auckland's Lynn Avon on Saturday.
The Blues scored first, with a Tom Livesey goal laid on by a Sam O'Regan header from a Tauranga corner kick.
Jack McNab and Ollie Wright went close to increasing the advantage, but it was the hosts who scored next, five minutes from the break.
With disappointing second-half displays a Tauranga weakness this season, coach Duncan Lowry had got the team together at training during the week to discuss where they were going wrong, and the move came up trumps.
Although Lynn Avon started the second half strongly, Tauranga held firm. Left back Craig Stephens put in a man-of-the-match effort, and with 35 minutes left to play Lowry made a double substitution, bringing on Connor Irvine and Mark Knell.
Knell gave the visitors the lead, getting on to a McNab cross with almost his first touch, and from that point City United held on for a confidence-boosting win.
The victory lifted Tauranga into fifth place on the Northern Division 2 table. This Sunday the fourth-placed Fencibles visit Links Avenue in what looks to be another tough encounter.
