Matamata Swifts’ senior football teams ended the weekend with two wins from three entertaining match-es. Comag Matamata Swifts tasted home defeat for the first time this season, but it was brighter news for Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies and Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserves as they both picked up three points on the road.
Comag Matamata Swifts began slowly in Saturday’s WaiBOP Premiership match against Taupo and fell be-hind on the quarter hour. The normally reliable Swifts defence allowed the visitors a free header which was comfortably looped home.
There was little in the way of attacking inspiration from either side throughout the remainder of the first half, but the visitors doubled their lead ten minutes after the break when they finished clinically from a second Swifts defensive error.
Matamata briefly threatened a late rally when Jamie Baxter slipped home from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining, after Pete Shannon had been clipped in the box, but a third goal from the visitors late on sealed the result.
Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserves picked up their second win of the season, and first on the road, after a superb second half showing at Melville United. After a goalless first half the reserves struck three times after the break to win 3-1. Ronan Costello, Hayri Cihan and Taylor Thornton grabbed the goals against a Melville side that suffered their first defeat of the season.
On Sunday, Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies returned to the winners circle after two consecutive draws. Their 2-1 win at Tokoroa gave them a league double over their opponents and also kept them just two points off the pace at the top of the Waikato Women’s Division 1 table.
In what was a tough end to end battle, Matamata began on the right foot when Annemieke Verstraten poached an early goal following a Maggie Leaver corner and a headed Patrice Morrison assist.
Tokoroa got back on level terms before the break and a tight second half ensued. Kerrie Cox pushed the Swifts in front with what turned out to be the match winning goal midway through the second half and an outstanding team effort saw the team home.
The Good Merchant Players of the Day were Nathan Farey (Comag Matamata Swifts), Kerrie Cox (Chal-lenge Matamata Swifts Ladies) and the whole Waharoa Transport Swifts Reserve team.