Thistle top the table on 12 points, but only on goal difference from Havelock North Wanderers, Gisborne United and Napier City Rovers Reserves, who went into Saturday as the sole leaders but lost 2-0 to Port Hill United.
United and City Rovers are third-equal, both having scored 15 and conceded eight for a goal difference of +7.
Havelock North have a goal difference of +9 and Thistle +17 (25 for, eight against).
Western Rangers scored first against Thistle, Kody Shaw netting after five minutes, when the ball took a massive hop as goalkeeper Mark Baple went down to gather it.
The Jags equalised after 13 minutes, through Somerton, and dominated the rest of the first half.
Skipper and central midfielder Cory Thompson headed in a corner after 15 minutes and Somerton added goals after 18, 34, 54, 59 and 89 minutes, the last from the penalty spot.
Thistle “destroyed” Rangers from the time of the equaliser till halftime, Jags coach Tam Cramer said.
“It looked as if we flicked a switch and for half an hour became Barcelona. It was great to watch. No one had a bad game. When we get a full squad, we’ll be frightening.”
Thistle had a travelling squad of 13. Veteran Shannon Dowsing played a full game at right back, Nick Land played 70 minutes in midfield before making way for Davie Ure, just back from injury, and Te Kani Wirepa-Hei, returning after collarbone surgery, played the full 90 at right midfield.
Centre back Martin Kees was back in the side, alongside Daniel Venema, with Oliver Aldridge at left back.
Travis White joined Thompson and Land in central midfield, while Alex Shanks and Wirepa-Hei patrolled the flanks. Somerton spearheaded the attack.
Cramer said Thistle took their feet off the pedal in the second half and Rangers kept trying to make inroads, but the Jags still added three goals.
Gisborne United looked like title contenders in their match against Napier Marist.
Their defence had complementary helpings of speed and strength in fullbacks Sam Royston and Kieran Venema and centre backs Kieran Higham and Ryan Anderson, while Andy McIntosh continued to impress in goal.
Higham made several interceptions to nip attacks in the bud, while Royston was used to telling effect further forward in the second half.
United’s key strengths on Saturday were through the middle. Aaron Graham swept across the front of the defence and was the starting point for numerous attacks, while Corey Adams injected himself into the attack at will.
Dan Torrie filled the big-man role usually reserved for Dane Thompson and his heading, tackling and shooting prowess, and Malcolm Marfell put in his usual box-to-box effort.
Striker Campbell Hall and midfielder Thompson were unavailable, but their replacements fitted in seamlessly.
Up front, Stu Cranswick showed that crossfit training can get you through 90 minutes of football after two years out of action, and Josh Adams was always a threat.
The first half was more competitive than the final score indicates.
A tussle between Marfell and right back Terrence Charamba ended in a 30th-minute penalty, deftly put away by Josh Adams. Two minutes before the break, Royston crossed from the right byline for Cranswick to head home.
A Corey Adams volley two minutes into the second half decided the outcome. United had the edge in all-round strength but Marist kept competing vigorously.
In the 51st minute, Corey Adams broke through from midfield to slip the ball past Marist keeper Dan Evans for 4-0, a Josh Adams penalty made it 5-0 and Marfell turned and shot from 18m to make it 6-0 five minutes from time.
Evans denied Josh Adams a hat-trick with a diving save to his right to palm away a 40m drive that looked goal-bound.
Marist suffered from players being injured or unavailable, but produced some outstanding performances.
Midfielders Jackson Durrington and Riku Koyama were a class act, well supported by Parnill Naiker.
Centre backs Luke Foster and Mitch Dick put up a brave fight against repeated onslaughts as did fullbacks Charamba and, until going off injured, Adam McFarlane.
Charamba’s younger brother Leon, 15, never gave up on the right wing.
Referee Chris Niven kept the game flowing.
United player-coach Josh Adams said it was probably his team’s first “full” performance of the season.
“We took control all over the park and played some good football, working it around the field and spraying it when we needed to.”
Marist coach Don Butler said it was a good game for 60 minutes.
“The third goal killed us,” he said.
Boys’ High coach Garrett Blair said the loss to Maycenvale was heavier than it needed to be. The boys were learning that mistakes in the defensive third often meant goals conceded.
Lasenby’s injury from an awkward fall in a challenge was an early setback, exacerbated by Armstrong’s finger injury.
Centre back Kauri Holmes had his hands full with Liam Shackleton and occasionally Dakota Lucas, but had the physical presence to hold his own against them.
Up front, Jacob Adams showed another dimension to his game, dropping into midfield and finding space to launch attacks from deep. He scored to give Boys’ High a sniff of hope at 3-1.
“We are six weeks from our first qualifying match for the premier national secondary schools tournament, and Jacob has given us something to think about,” Blair said.
