Stanley Group Matamata Swifts have lost the Waikato Bay of Plenty derby match after a below par performance on a rugged Tauranga afternoon.

Matamata's effort in this match was not consistent or thoughtful enough to deserve victory, despite the occasional bright spot, including briefly taking the lead early in the second half. Tauranga started the stronger, finished the stronger and would have been disappointed with anything less than three points.

The hosts looked crisper in the tackle and sharper in the pass and opened the scoring inside the first 20 minutes when one of their strikers was afforded too much space inside the box. Tauranga continued to press and create opportunities, with Matamata keeper, Tom Pamment, by far the busier of the two custodians.

Tauranga should have doubled their lead on the half hour mark when they were awarded a soft penalty, but Pamment guessed right and made a good save. This save was crucial in getting Matamata's performance going and it wasn't long before the Swifts were level. Jack McNab, playing a lone hand up front, was played in, turned his defender and drilled a shot to the far post. One of Tauranga defenders was on hand to knock it home.

McNab was in the action again only three minutes after the re-start. He pounced on a defensive error and gave Tauranga's keeper no chance. Within minutes it was Tauranga's turn to restore parity. It was a cruel deflected effort, however, that left Pamment with no chance of making a save.

It was then the Swifts' opportunity to take the lead in a frenetic opening twenty minutes of the second half. Half time substitute, Mike Spencer, found himself with a golden chance to open his account for the season but he scooped his shot over the bar. This miss was to prove costly as a mistake at the back, this time from Matamata, presented Tauranga with what was to prove the winner.

The final quarter of the match saw Tauranga look the more likely, as Matamata's shape disintegrated as they chased the game.

So Tauranga won the match between two sides that have disappointed in 2012 and they will finish comfortably tucked away in mid-table. The Swifts are sinking lower than anyone would have thought at the start of the season. They must do a decent job of work in their remaining three fixtures to avoid this season dissolving into something best not remembered.