A 27-13 - two tries to one - scoreline suggests Te Puke Sports won their third Baywide club title with something left in the tank.

In reality their victory over first-time finalists Te Puna at home in front of an animated and hugely entertained thousands-strong crowd at Murray Salt Stadium took 80 minutes of hard work, and a sustained belief that the title was no less than they deserved after a faultless business end of the season.

When Te Puke's man-mountain of a lock Kane Le'aupepe crashed over the line in the opening minutes the pattern of the match may have looked set.

Te Puna's inspirational captain and halfback Te Aihe Toma, however, had other ideas. He took the task of restoring his side's fortunes on his own shoulders and found a gap in the home side's defence to slide over, and converting the try himself gave them a 7-5 lead 12 minutes into the decider.

Ten minutes later the boys from the Kiwifruit Capital were back in front thanks to a Jason Robertson penalty after a period of sustained pressure on the Te Puna line. Moments after that the first of Toma's two penalties restored a slender 10-8 advantage to his side.

Then shortly before halftime it became Robertson's turn again to kick his team back into the lead after a Te Puna infringement, and though it remained close until the final moments it was a lead they never yielded.

Te Puna's first five Reece MacDonald is not getting away from the Te Puke defence.

Robertson and Toma traded penalties as the second spell developed, with both sides keeping their error rate to a minimum and their defensive effort in high gear.

Then at 14-13 to the home side deep into the final quarter the game's decisive moment came Te Puke's way when their incisive centre Lalomilo Lalomilo made a rare solo line break all the way to the line.

Robertson's conversion took his side out to an eight point lead at 21-13, but it was only when he added two further penalties as the clock ticked down that Te Puke were able to start to believe the title was heading their way.

For victorious co-captain Danny Underwood it was as hard as it gets, but the best possible way to bring up his 50^th match in the Te Puke jersey.

'Te Puna threw everything at us today and it really showed at the end of that 80 minutes we were battered and bruised. But we knew it was going to be a hell of a fight and we're just glad to come away with the win and the championship.

'Te Puna are a quality side, they've got some amazing backs out there and quality forwards too. They tested us at the ruck, and they had a step on us out wide so I'll just give some kudos to our boys for digging in and playing 80 minutes of footy today.”

He was in no doubt what it was that took his side through the second round of the competition unbeaten, and to the championship.

'I think we put it down to consistency in our team. Basically the whole second round there may have been one or two changes in our starting 15 week in week out. Once we got that consistency there was a good feeling and it was hard to stop us.”

Danny believes they laid down a marker with their 52-9 demolition of Tauranga Sports at the end of June.

'That was the start of our big roll, coming home. I definitely think our last three weeks we've played some outstanding footy, and today just topped it off.”

He also had some ominous words for the opposition looking ahead to next season.

Jason Robertson's kicking put his side out of sight at the death.

'Onwards and upwards. What's better than a championship for the Te Puke club at the moment is trying to go back to back so we'll see everyone again next year.”

Te Puna's skipper Te Aihe Toma put his side's defeat down to coming out on the wrong side of the game's key moments, but felt enormously proud of his club's efforts.

'I'm absolutely stoked. I'm very proud of our community, of our club, proud of the growth that this team has brought throughout the year.

'But it's been building for a few years now. We've been a club on the rise. Next year we celebrate our hundred years so watch out, we're coming.”

Baywide Premier 1 final:

Te Puke Sports 27 (Kane Le'aupepe, Lalomilo Lalomilo tries; Jason Robertson 5 pen, 1 con) – Te Puna 13 (Te Aihe Toma try, 2 pens, 1 con) HT 11-10

Troy Webber gets one over Lars Morrice in the lineout battle.

Te Puna probably won the contest of the supporters on the day.