Tauranga Boys' College, Papamoa and Taupo all won big on Saturday to edge away from the Loaded WaiBOP Premiership pack as the season reaches its climax.

Boys' College maintained their three point lead at the top after their second straight 6-2 victory, this time over rock-bottom Hamilton Wanderers. The students began slowly but did all their damage in the second half.

Wanderers held an unexpected single goal lead at the break, but Boys' College hit them hard in the second spell. Adam Davidson and Zak Aquino-Phillips with two apiece and Alex Elliott and Lewis Reid completed the carnage for the team that has now scored a 49 goals, 12 more than the next most prolific team Waikato Unicol.

Papamoa and Taupo trail by three points but both have two games in hand over the students. Papamoa's 2-0 win at a West Hamilton side that has now lost five on the trot was secured thanks to first half goals from Dean Styles and Dave Molloy. From there Papamoa, the only side to have conceded fewer than 10 goals, was always going to rebound from last week's upset loss to Otumoetai with the three points.

Taupo had to come from behind to beat Matamata Swifts 3-1 after conceding from the penalty spot late in the first half. Conor Hinz equalised almost immediately then Rob Williams bundled home from a corner early in the second half. Max Duckworth's swift counter and neat finish settled the outcome for the visitors who trail Papamoa on goal difference only.

Otumoetai's fine run of results against top half sides continued as they snuck past Melville United 1-0 to move within touching distance of the top half. Dave Williams found himself one-on-one with Melville's keeper during the second half and made no mistake, scoring the game's only goal and leaving Melville to rue a host of missed opportunities.

Waikato Unicol rebounded from last Saturday's defeat to the Swifts to bury Tauranga Blue Rovers 6-1 and move into fourth, four points behind Papamoa and Taupo. The result keeps Unicol in touch with the top three and also consigns Rovers to another week in the bottom two.

The other game finished 2-0 to Te Awamutu as they handed Mercury Tokoroa their seventh defeat of the season.

Ngaruawahia United seem to have recovered from their recent dip in form as they moved six points clear at the top of the WaiBOP Championship thanks to a 4-0 home win over Cambridge. Ngaruawahia is now within touching distance of the Premiership promised land.

Waikato Unicol's reserves and Kawerau Sports fought out an eight goal Jansen Park thriller that ended 4-4. Kawerau's dropped points allowed Taupo's Reserves, who defeated Tauranga Blue Rovers' reserves 2-1, to sneak into second, although their promotion chances are still in their hands as they have a game in hand over Taupo.

Te Puke United won 2-0 at Waharoa Transport Matamata Reserves in the other game.

The WaiBOP Women's Premier League is shaping up as a race to the wire between Tauranga City and Whakatane Town. Both sides won on Sunday to leave Tauranga a point ahead of their rivals from the Eastern BOP with half the games played.

Tauranga dug deep to beat Papamoa 4-3 in nasty conditions. In fact, they trailed at the break but doubles to Hayley Merriman and Larrisa Meads saw them through for what could be a vital three points.

Whakatane's 3-1 win at Melville United was altogether less adventurous. The visitors were never behind as a Teagan Andrews-Paul brace and a Melville own goal got them home.

McKay Tokoroa avoided Sunday's dreadful conditions as their opponents, Northern United, couldn't muster a team and thus handed the green and whites a comfortable three goal default victory.

Click here for full results and standings: http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/DRAWS/Seniors-2