Comag Matamata Swifts kept their recent unbeaten run going on Saturday, albeit after a draw at Te Awamutu, while Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies’ Waikato Plate campaign was ended on Sunday after a brave effort against Otorohanga.
The Swifts’ Soccer Shop Premiership visit to Te Awamutu ended in a 1-1 draw, which was a result that suited the home side more as they all but secured their survival. The Swifts had much the better of the first half and really should have had more to show for their efforts than Chris Walker’s solitary goal, his ninth of the season.
The conditions became more challenging as the game went on. This suited the highly motivated home side who came out after the break knowing they needed to take something from the game. Matamata’s performance levels dropped in the face of a physical onslaught that eventually saw Te Awamutu grab an equaliser from a match that really didn’t have a lot to recommend it.
A threadbare Waharoa Transport Matamata Reserves went down 2-1 at Tauranga City in yet another game from which they deserved more. The hosts had a two goal lead while Matamata also lost Blair Griffiths to yet another serious looking injury. But Harry Conner, back in the side after injury problems of his own, halved the deficit and Matamata finished the stronger of the two sides. Unfortunately there was no end reward for the side’s performance.
Camel Kebab Matamata 3rds shot out to a three goal lead away to Claudelands Pingers, thanks to goals from Jamie Cox, Radge Avergonzado and Dave Candy, but were ultimately pegged back, ending up on the wrong side of a 4-3 scoreline.
Challenge Matamata Swifts Ladies lost 4-2 to Otorohanga on Sunday in a Waikato Plate semi-final match that also doubled as a league fixture. The game began brightly, as the visitors opened the scoring, before Maggie Leaver pulled the scores level for Matamata. The visitors went back in front before two serious injuries, to Mary Ontiveros and Katie Waters, left an already depleted side down to ten players with over an hour remaining.
Matamata created chances but Otorohanga broke and extended their lead after the break. The Swifts hit back when Kerrie Cox headed home a Leaver corner, but the visitors just had a little too much over a spent Swifts side who gave everything in the chase of an equaliser. The visitors’ fourth goal sealed Matamata’s fate.