Goals from Tom Crawford, Colby Brennan and Nathan Rostron made it seven heaven for Barry Gardiner’s side, who will play Northern League football next season.

A healthy crowd was in attendance, hoping for a tight game against a Mount Albert side who narrowly missed out on promotion themselves. However, the fans were instead treated to a resounding reminder of why Tauranga have been the team to beat in the Championship this term. 

Young striker Bidois effectively sealed the contest in a goal-scoring burst midway through the opening period, sweeping home a Braxton Fisher-Vanderveen cross to settle nerves 19 minutes in. He then slotted home two near identical one-on-one finishes to secure his hat trick. An improvised lunge at the far post added his fourth after just 25 minutes. 

Tauranga City celebrate their title win. Photo: Tauranga City AFC/Facebook.

City have flirted with promotion the last two seasons but found a regular goalscorer hard to come by. Young striker Bidois has stepped up from the youth system and answered that call, his first-half quadruple securing the league’s Golden Boot award with 22 goals.

In a strange happenstance, Jonty’s older brother Riley, a former City player himself, was also among the goals on Saturday, netting five for New Zealand U-23s against Fiji.

Crawford’s first of the season made it 5-0 before half-time before Brennan and Rostron added one apiece after the break to secure the title with style.

City finish the season two points clear of nearest rivals East Coast Bays having scored an incredible 70 goals in 22 games.

There were concerns at the start of this season for Tauranga City. After losing key players in pre-season and an opening day loss at Ocean Downs against newly promoted Hibiscus Coast, not many would have predicted this eventuality. 

However, several impressive new additions and a belief in the young talent available have led City to a return to the region’s footballing big-time, where the likes of Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs and Hamilton Wanderers await. 

The crowd at Links Ave was also treated to Tauranga’s WaiBOP League One men securing a crucial 1-0 win over Otorohanga. Cameron Stewart bagged the goal that leaves City needing just a win against West Hamilton next weekend to win the league.

Mathew Nash/Match of the Bay