Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts picked up their largest Loaded WaiBOP Premiership win of the season with a 7-1 demolition job of visiting Tauranga City United.
The Swifts began the scoring early after Raphael Berthelot was played through and comfortably beat Tauranga’s keeper, but the visitors equalised in the 10th minute after the Matamata back four switched off. That goal was just a blip, however, and after Brad West had put the Swifts back in front three minutes later there was only ever going to be one winner.
Captain Scott Parsonage fired home Matamata’s third before Frenchman, Jordane Lambert, showed a superb piece of skill to take two Tauranga defenders out of the game before rifling home to make it 4-1. Jamie Baxter converted his fourth penalty of the season, just before half time, to complete an excellent first 45 minutes of work.
West grabbed his second goal twelve minutes into the second half before midfielder, Sam Masterson, strolled through the Tauranga defence to complete the scoring midway through the half.
The Swifts were always in control of this one. Playing against opponents that had lost every game so far this season Matamata was always going to have too much firepower. There were times Matamata dropped their intensity and over complicated things when a more direct approach could have paid higher dividends. But the team controlled possession throughout, continued to create chances and banked a good win ahead of next week’s derby at Cambridge.
In Saturday’s early games at the Domain, Richardson Racing Stables Swifts reserves held WaiBOP Championship favourites, Taupo, to a 2-2 draw in what was one of their best results of the season. Matt Monteith put the reserves ahead, before Taupo scored twice to lead 2-1 at the break. Logan Raynel fired home the equaliser during the second half, reacting quickest after his penalty had been saved.
The reserves had chances to win the game, and had periods of dominance during the second half, but Taupo also looked likely to grab a winner in an open, entertaining game. The result, however, was an important marker of what this side can do and was extra special because it was achieved with so many players from the 1st and 2nd team squad either injured or unavailable this weekend.
The Swifts A team lost 4-0 to Northern United in a match that was challenging for a variety of reasons. The A team did well to hold their visitors scoreless at the break, but couldn’t contain them in the second half.