On a rough weekend weather-wise, the three Swifts teams that made it onto the field all came away with victories.

Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts consolidated their top three spot in the Loaded WaiBOP Premiership after winning 4-1 at Rotorua United.

The Swifts have struggled away from home recently but had this match in the bag by half time. The team started well, but had to wait until just before the half hour to open the scoring. Jordane Lambert hammered the ball home at the far post then, five minutes before the break, doubled his, and his team’s, tally.

Brad West stroked home his eighth goal of the season two minutes before half time to have Matamata three goals to the good, and cruising, at the turn.

Rotorua continued to go long during the second half, which is a tactic Matamata has struggled with this season, but the Swifts dealt well with the pressure and hit their fourth goal less than ten minutes after the restart through Ben Vogt. The hosts got a late consolation when a deflected shot found the mark, but by then the match was well and truly wrapped up.

Richardson Racing Stables Swifts reserves bagged their best WaiBOP Championship win of the season, a 4-0 victory at Hamilton Wanderers. An own goal separated the sides at the break, before goals from Logan Raynel and Kody Nowell early in the second half pushed the scoreline out to an unbeatable margin. Substitute, Cullen Tappin, struck the team’s fourth goal with 20 minutes remaining while goalie, Jeremy Pope, saved a penalty to secure a clean sheet.

The Swifts A team completed a perfect afternoon with a rousing cup tie victory. In their Waikato Plate quarter-final, the A team defeated their Cambridge opponents 4-3 in a match that lit up a gloomy afternoon. Club leading scorer, Jamie Cox, scored twice to take his tally for the season to twelve goals, while youngster, Radge Avergonzado, and veteran, Andy Monteith, also got on the scoresheet. The win ensured the A team moved into the plate semi-finals and are now one game away from playing off for silverware.

Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies had their match in Ngaruawahia was postponed due to the weather, while the Swifts U-13s beat Claudelands Rovers in a friendly. The goals came from Jacob Fouhy, Anton Ganas 2, Cooper Wellington and Will Benefield.

Photo: Ashleen Connell Photography.

 

Junior results

13th Grade: Fairfield 1-4 Matamata Jets (Goals: Sam Hills 2, Braedyn Henderson, Anton Ganas. Player of the Day: Edward Roskam), Northern United 0-8 Matamata Falcons (Goals: Hunter Logie 5, Madison Hunt 2, Sophie Crispe. POD: William Louch).

11th Grade: Matamata Jets 5-10 Hillcrest, Matamata Tigers 3-4 Raglan (Goals: Michael Griffits, Logan Cox-Milne 2. POD: Michael Griffits).

10th Grade: Matamata Rebels 5-0 Northern United.

9th Grade: Northern United 4-1 Matamata Eagles (Goal: Haydn Logie. POD: Kreesh Sharma), Matamata Strikers 1-4 Crawshaw (Goal: Jamie Scott. POD: Molly Hills).