A third win in four matches for The Island Tauranga City has got them upwardly mobile on the Northern Football League Division One ladder.

Their come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Hibiscus Coast means they climb to seventh, leapfrogging two clubs - including Saturday's visitors.

It was one City can take some pride from too, especially after last week's 7-1 demolition on Auckland's North Shore. This time the mental side of their game stayed together and a performance of composure and resilience followed.

Just as on that occasion, however, it began looking as if it may get away from them. The visitors' Pete Benjatikul struck early in the seventh minute once again giving the boys in sky blue the familiar feeling of having a hill to climb.

Almost to prove the point, the pain came literally for Cameron Grieve with a nasty 20^th minute head knock that meant a visit to A and E.

A change of momentum was needed for the home side, and the strongest sign of it arriving came after 30 minutes as Andy Carter hit the bar with a well stuck shot from range. The short-term frustration of that near miss, however, only added to City's impetus.

Their dogged determination not to lose any 50-50 challenges paid off as the first half closed out. Andy Smith pushed forward on a thoughtful overlapping run from right back and fed a good ball into the penalty box. The Hibiscus Coast defence were powerless to deal with it, allowing the ball to travel through to a well-positioned Riley Bidois on the far post. The Tauranga Boys' College student finished with composure to level it at 1 -1 as the teams headed to the sheds.

City's momentum continued into the second spell as the experienced central defensive pairing of Mark van der Salm and Ray How handled any Hibiscus threats, allowing the attacking combination of Bidois, Jay Silcock, Joaquin Reynoso, and Josh Nelson to make inroads into the attacking third.

Bidois almost added an assist to the goal on his stats sheet, creating a great chance for Carter as he beat his man and played a superb ball into the six yard box, but the attacking midfielder was gutted to see his finish go just wide.

Jonny Routledge was also having a strong game winning ball in midfield and building play with intelligent passing finding the supporting players around him.

Then with 11 minutes remaining the deserved winner came.

Josh Nelson delivered a devious ball into the box from a free kick which Joe Pamment was first to get to, rising above the Hibiscus Coast defence to put the ball into the net over the visitors' flapping goalkeeper.

A chance to ice the cake with a third, and ease coach Nic Millichip's nerves, went begging as Jay Silcock got the better of his man down the right in the dying moments and fizzed in an excellent cross, but Joaquin Reynoso just failed to steer his finish the right side of the post.

Tauranga City have another presentable chance to gather points this Saturday as they head back north to take on ninth-placed Waitemata.

The Island Tauranga City 2 (Riley Bidois 42', Joe Pamment 79') - Hibiscus Coast 1 (Pete Benjatikul 7′)

Goalkeeper Tom Pamment punches clear to protect his team's lead late in the match.

Joaquin Reynoso was a handful for the Hibiscus Coast defence all day.