Marquis Wairarapa United's unbeaten run in this season's Central League ground to a halt in the mud on Saturday.
United were beaten 3-1 at Bell Park by mid-table Lower Hutt City in conditions that coach Phil Keinzley described as "atrocious".
"The pitch was so boggy we couldn't play along the ground or pass through midfield as the ball kept stopping in the puddles," he said. "It was more of a lottery than a football game. I'm rather surprised it wasn't transferred to an artificial pitch."
Playing into the gale in the first half, United were 3-0 down at the break and were unable to make up the deficit in the second half, the sole reply coming courtesy of Adam Cowan who netted from Pablo Moya's cross.
The United cause was not helped by the loss of striker Paul Ryder, who was concussed after a clash of heads early in the second half, and although influential midfielder Pita Rabo was fit to play, the conditions didn't allow United to build attacks through their normal midfield channels which were largely bypassed.
The game was a landmark for United's no-nonsense midfielder Miroslav Tvaroh who chalked up his 100th appearance for the club when he came off the bench in the second half.
Keinzley's attention is now being drawn towards Sunday's clash between second-placed Olympic and third-placed Napier City Rovers since an Olympic win would see United's lead at the top of the Central League table down to a single point. Keinzley is crossing his fingers and hoping for a draw which would see United maintain a three-point margin over their nearest rivals.
Meanwhile in Capital 4, United's second string secured their fourth victory of the season with a 4-3 win at Tawa with Steve Coleman, Thomas Hemi and Blair Thompson (twice) finding the back of the net. This brings their points tally to 17 and promotes United to second on the table, one of the two promotion spots. The team has managed five drawn games so far and may rue not having turned some of those draws into wins come the end of the season.
Games played at the Park Sportsground in Masterton on Saturday proved successful outings for the host teams. In Capital 2, Douglas Villa recorded their second victory with a 7-4 demolition of lowly Wellington United which moves them on to eight points and into eighth place on the ladder.
In Capital 3, Gardner Electrical Masterton AFC notched up their fourth win of the campaign when they secured a 4-2 win over cellar-dwellers Marist. Masterton move on to 12 points and lie seventh on the table.