Rotoiti have moved back into the top four on the Premier 1 table with 29-20 win over Te Puna.
After consecutive losses, against Greerton Marist and Rangataua, the win on Saturday was just what the doctor ordered for Rotoiti.
They now go into their local derby with Whakarewarewa in the final round next weekend knowing a semifinal spot at the Tai Mitchell Shield are theirs for the taking.
Rotoiti took the lead early against Te Puna when the kicked a penalty in the first minute of the game.
However, for the majority of the first half Te Puna looked the better side and had the majority of territory and possession.
Ten minutes in they scored to take the lead after spreading the ball right from a lineout inside the Rotoiti half.
Fullback Elijah Nicholas ran into space and created an overlap before drawing the last defender and passing to winger Hunter Mokomoko to score in the corner.
They made the lead 10-7 with a penalty goal 10 minutes before halftime.
It looked like Rotoiti would trail at the break but they fired themselves up and produced two tries in the last five minutes of the half to lead 17-10.
The first came from a lineout - Rotoiti formed a maul, drove over the try line and hooker William Royal broke off to score.
The second try also started with a lineout inside the Te Puna 22.
For several phases the Rotoiti forwards charged at the try line before lock Stevie Coffin did his best impression of a bulldozer to crash over and score.
Rotoiti looked the more enthusiastic side in the second half - flanker Josh White in particular did some fantastic work at the breakdown.
For 20 minutes they had Te Puna camped inside their own 22 and in the 60th minute produced a great forwards' try.
They had a scrum 5m out and powered their way over the line - all No 8 Jesse Acton had to do was fall on the ball to score.
They had another shortly afterwards and again it was the forwards doing the job.
Rotoiti had a lineout inside the Te Puna 22 and once again they formed a maul and drove over the try line for Hakarangi Tichborne to score and make the lead 29-10.
Te Puna came to life in the final minutes and scored twice to make the score a more respectable 29-20 but it was too little, too late.
Rotoiti coach Willie Royal said it was good to get back to winning ways.
"We knew it was going to be a huge game, a physical game.
"It was a game of contrasting styles really, they like to spread the ball wide and we like to keep it tight and use our forwards.
"In the first 20 minutes we gave up ball and had to defend, but we did come back well towards the end of the first half," Royal said.
He said the whole team could take credit for a good performance.
"There was good defence, at times it was scrambling but it worked."
Meanwhile, Premier 1 is not getting any easier for Whakarewarewa who lost 62-17 to Rangtaua.
Coach Joe Savage said the game was "one-sided".
"They got out to a pretty hefty lead in the first half due to our decision making and tackling technique not being good enough.
"They have good wingers who were able to finish off tries.
"We did score a couple of tries in the second half and restricted them to two but the damage had been done.
"We built some good phases but we weren't able to hold onto the ball."
Baywide Premier 1:
Tauranga Sports 24 v Greerton Marist 22
Te Puke Sports 20 v Mount Maunganui 12
Rangataua 62 v Whakarewarewa 17
Rotoiti 29 v Te Puna 20
Baywide Premier 1 Development:
Greerton Marist 28 v Tauranga Sports 27
Te Puke Sports 29 v Mount Maunganui 12
Whakarewarewa 26 v Rangataua 19
Te Puna 85 v Rotoiti 5
Baywide Premier 2:
Arataki 31 v Waikite 26
Poroporo 32 Marist St Michael's 14
Whakatane Marist 21 v Ngongotaha 20
Paroa 24 v Opotiki 15
Baywide Premier 2 Development:
Waikite 28 v Arataki 7
Marist St Michael's 32 v Poroporo 7
Ngongotaha 51 v Whakatane Marist 16
Opotiki 31 v Paroa 7
Baywide Division 1:
Ruatoki 13 v Judea 7
Te Teko 57 v Rangiuru 3
Kahukura 26 v Papamoa 12
Waimana v Katikati - no result received
Baywide Division 2:
Eastern Districts 22 v Eastern Pirates 21
Reporoa 31 v Matata 19
Edgecumbe 14 v Murupara 12