Recap
Saturday’s WaiBOP Premiership match at the Domain looked daunting enough as the Swifts hosted an undefeated Ngaruawahia United side that had just defeated a National League club in their most recent Chatham Cup game. Added to that, Matamata was, as has often been the case recently, missing players due to injury, suspension and absence so the players could have been forgiven for thinking they were properly up against it.
But a positive approach and a solid defensive effort helped frustrate the visitors and kept the Swifts in the contest. Ngaruawahia squeezed one goal home during the first half to take a lead into the break. They doubled their tally on the hour mark through a goal that should have been avoided to complete the final 2-0 score line, but the threadbare Swifts squad put up the sort of fight that will be needed in the weeks ahead.
Jamie Baxter led the side well, while Ellis Breadmore put in nearly a full ninety minutes on his return from injury.
