Tauranga Boys College 2-3 Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts
WaiBOP Premiership
Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts have closed the gap on second placed Rotorua United after a 3-2 away win at Tauranga Boys College on Saturday.
The Swifts, led by a hat trick from Frenchman Jordane Lambert, secured their fourth win in six WaiBOP Premiership games. They were put under pressure by their talented, youthful opponents, but had enough about them to get the result at a venue at which they normally struggle.
Boys College opened the scoring with a fine strike but a double from Lambert saw the Swifts enter half time with the lead. The equaliser came from a narrow angle on the half hour and Lambert’s second from distance just four minutes before the break.
The hosts got themselves back on level terms just after half time and the teams traded blows up until the closing stages. With four minutes remaining, Lambert completed his first Swifts hat trick. After being played in by Scott Parsonage he composed himself then won the game with a quality finish.
With Rotorua United losing to leaders, Ngongotaha, the Swifts are now two points behind the second placed side, who they host at the Domain this Saturday.
Te Awamutu 1-0 Richardson Racing Stables Swifts Reserves
WaiBOP Championship
Richardson Racing Stables Swifts Reserves have narrowly lost another game against a team sitting above them on the table, 1-0 at Te Awamutu, in what is becoming an annoyingly consistent problem this season. As in recent weeks, the reserves weren’t short of goal scoring opportunities.
Jono Monteith, Nani Shettra and Daryl Gibbs all had chances to score during the first half for Matamata, but the teams headed to the break locked at nil-all. Despite promoted keeper, Matt Aberhart’s, brilliance in goal, the reserves couldn’t quite manage to secure their clean sheet, with the hosts scoring the game’s only goal during the second half.
Matamata Swifts A 2-2 Melville United
Waikato Division A
In the only senior game played at the Matamata Domain this weekend, the Swifts A team enjoyed their chance to play on the main field by putting in their best performance of the season and securing their first point after a 2-2 draw with Melville United.
The A team had to come from behind twice, but always looked threating going forward. Jamie Cox, Ronan Costello, Hayri Cihan and Ignacio Trias kept the Melville back four honest.
Melville took the lead after scoring the game’s first goal, but Cox received well to turn, shoot and score the equaliser at the match closed in on half time. Unfortunately the visitors restored their lead almost immediately to head into the break with a 2-1 lead.
A tight second half saw chances at both ends, but Matamata was the only team to trouble the scorers. Player/Coach, Ronan Costello, struck the team’s all important second equaliser, and Matamata held on. The back four, playing in front of keeper, Kyle van Waveren, did a great job to snuff out any further opportunities for the visitors to retake the lead.
After a tough start to the season, this was just the result needed to get the A team’s season back on track.
Hamilton Wanderers U-13 6-1 Matamata Swifts U-13
WaiBOP Federation U-13 League
The Matamata Under 13s have lost their first Waikato Bay of Plenty U-13 match 6-1 at Hamilton giants, Wanderers, but will be ruing the final 20 minutes in which they let in four unanswered goal after what was an otherwise encouraging performance in their club’s debut at this level.
Matamata is by far the smallest club in this league, but put up a solid debut showing against one of the region’s powerhouses. A Dom Hardie goal had the Swifts trailing only 2-1 leading into the final stages, but the superior fitness of their well-drilled opponents eventually wore Matamata down. Tyler Tapper was Matamata’s leading performer.
Junior Results
13th Grade – Fairfield 6-1 Jets (goal: Sam Hills. POD: Adam Harris), Falcons 0-6 Peachgrove (POD: Logan Crispe).
11th Grade – Dragons 1-3 Cambridge (goal: ?. POD: ?), Tigers 0-10 Gordonton (POD: Cameron Bartley).
10th Grade – Rebels 2-4 Glenview (goals: Liam Costello-McVeigh, Jack Tims. POD: Timothy Baxendine).
9th Grade – Te Awamutu 1-3 Eagles (goals: Harrison Smith, Nathan Quinn, Jason Li. POD’s: Zeb Mataitoga & Harrison Smith), Te Aroha 7-0 Strikers (POD: Jamie Scott).