Saturday’s senior football experience for Matamata Swifts teams was an altogether forgettable one as both Comag Matamata Swifts and Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserves sunk to home defeats.
The Swifts fell 3-1 to title contenders Taupo as they failed to match the visitors during a stormy second half. Little of note happened during the bulk of the first period before the two sides traded goals in the lead up to half time. A prone Hardeep Singh received a decent kicking which led to a penalty for Matamata, comfortably converted by Jamie Baxter. Within a minute, however, Taupo was level as Matamata was caught napping at the back.
Taupo found themselves in front not long after half time after benefitting from the Swifts’ failure to clear a corner, then extended their lead after a swift counter and superb finish.
As much as both sides contributed to the game, Matamata’s players will be upset with the amount of possession they gifted to the visitors. In what was an eminently winnable match they allowed Taupo to leave with what was ultimately a fairly comfortable victory.
Some overly creative officiating led to both sides ending with ten players thanks to a couple of sending offs, after much worse had been allowed to pass earlier.
In Saturday’s early game, Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserves fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Te Puke United. The visitors snatched an early lead after a speculative effort somehow found the back of the net, then doubled their lead midway through the second half thanks to a goal that reeked of off-side. The reserves had more than enough space and potential opportunity to take something from the match, but the decision making and passing at key moments was found seriously wanting.
Sunday’s hideous weather, conversely, led to a rather brighter outcome for the two Swifts teams in action. Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies secured another Waikato Women’s Division A point after holding Cambridge to a 0-0 draw away from home. Both teams battled through the soggy conditions in a match that, in truth, saw neither keeper unduly tested. While victories are always the primary goal, this result was another step forward for a Swifts team that seems to be coming out of a mid-season blip that saw them sink to several disappointing results.
Back at the Domain, the Camel Kebab Swifts 3rd team seemed to relish the conditions as they buried visiting Hamilton Masters 10-0 to emphatically secure the Waikato Sunday League’s Division 4 title. Six players were among the goals, with John Harris netting a hat trick, while Ronan Costello and Shaun Richardson both scored twice. They were joined on the scoresheet by Sam Tompsett, Joe Polaschek and Finn Challis.