It wasn’t an overly productive time, results-wise, for Matamata Swifts’ senior football teams last weekend, as both Comag Matamata Swifts and Waharoa Transport Swifts reserves went down 2-1 at home on Saturday and Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies were held to a 1-1 draw in their top of the table clash.
The Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies headed into Sunday’s match against Waikato Division 1 leaders, Waikato Unicol, trailing their visitors by two points and knowing only a victory would leap-frog them over their visitors in the standings.
Matamata had the better of the game, putting in one of their strongest showings of the season. Shania Stewart scored Matamata’s goal while Annemieke Verstraten was extremely unlucky to have what looked like a perfectly good goal ruled out. The Swifts also had a couple of very good penalty shouts waved away. It seems it’s not only the goalie who can use their hands in the box.
Katelyn Roberts starred for Matamata in what was another very good all-round team effort. The result kept Matamata two points behind Unicol with one more round in the six team league remaining.
These two teams will lock horns on the final day of the season in what could be a cracking title showdown.
On Saturday, Comag Matamata Swifts had the chance to all but secure a spot in the end of season Soccer Shop WaiBOP Premiership top six, but succumbed to two late West Hamilton goals to lose a game they were seemingly in control of.
Both sides hit the woodwork during a scrappy first half that didn’t have much to recommend it. After the break, the game was a little more open, but the rough Domain surface meant quality was in short supply.
The Swifts were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark, not long after having an earlier penalty decision overturned, and Bjorn Vossen hammered home to finally put the Swifts in front and in charge of their own destiny.
Matamata had a host of set piece opportunities to seal the result but couldn’t double their lead, keeping the visitors in the contest. The equaliser came after the Swifts failed to deal with a run down the right then, in the final minute, West Hamilton won a penalty of their own that was emphatically converted.
Earlier in the day, Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserves went down 2-1 to Melville United despite putting in another good showing. Ethan Davis hit the woodwork for Matamata, while Paul Weymouth found the back of the net to ensure the scores were level heading into the final stages of the match. A deflected winner late on, however, gave the visitors all three points.
The Good Merchant Players of the Day were Mike Hills (Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserves) and Katelyn Roberts (Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies).