It was double delight for Matamata Swifts on Saturday as the club’s top two men’s teams both recorded well deserved victories at the Matamata Domain.

Comag Matamata Swifts made their 3-2 win over Tokoroa harder than it needed to be, with some generous defending and a missed penalty contributing to the narrowness of the scoreline, but the three points were vital for a side that had previously battled to get their season going.

Player/coach, Scott Parsonage, pinged home the opening goal inside ten minutes to seemingly settle the nerves. The visitors hit back twice, however, to take an unlikely lead. Matamata first let a Tokoroa runner beat half the team before the equaliser was lashed home, then struggled to deal with a set piece that gifted the go-ahead goal.

Reuben Wigelsworth drew Matamata level in the 24th minute, sidefooting home after a neat move to bring reality to the scoreline. The match settled into a pattern of Swifts possession and goal scoring opportunities being met by strong, rugged, resolute Tokoroa defending.

The Swifts should have been back in front by the break, but it took a Parsonage angled strike eleven minutes into the second half to finally break the deadlock. Parsonage had the chance to complete a hat trick soon after, but his penalty was well saved by Tokoroa’s keeper.

While a larger margin would have made life easier for both players and fans alike, the victory was vital in a weekend when results in the Premiership were generally favourable for Matamata.

Waharoa Transport Matamata Reserves picked up their first win of 2018 with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cambridge. A Max Hill header in each half proved to be the difference, although the reserves should have been out of sight by half time.
The reserves haven’t had a problem scoring goals this year so it was the clean sheet that would have pleased the coaching staff the most after this match.

On Sunday the Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies were bundled out of the Waikato Cup after a 5-0 defeat at Cambridge. The hosts were impressive and worth their victory, as the margin would suggest, but Matamata struggled to get going as injuries and unavailabilities are starting to bite.

The Swifts 3rds rocked to the largest win of the weekend, playing well to defeat a solid Zig Zag team 4-0 in Hamilton. Shaun Richardson rattled home his first hat trick for the club, while David Candy also got in on the goal scoring act. The 3rds remain unbeaten in their Sunday League campaign.