Matamata Swifts secured first place in the Waikato Premier League (WPL) with a hard fought win in tough conditions in Hamilton on Saturday. Strong winds and a slippery surface made it difficult for an injury plagued Swifts to play their usual style of passing football. It was a great leveler for the two teams in their first meeting of the season.

Matamata started slowly, as has been the case in a number of games this season, and for the first time in a WPL game they found themselves trailing. The Swifts battled throughout the first half to find an equaliser, and were able to create a number of scoring chances. Wingers Scott Parsonage and Neil Slater were having success finding space out wide but were unable to put the finishing touches to the moves.

Many more chances conituned to fall to the Swifts players but tough defence and inadequate finishing saw the half end 1-0 to the home side.

Trailing for the first time heading into the second half and playing well below their best meant a strong second half performance was needed, but most importantly the Swifts needed to score.

Matamata enjoyed possession and lifted their play. Finally, 10 minutes into the half, they equalised. Striker Adam Graham continued his recent run of scoring when he placed the ball home from close range when a cross was dropped by the home team's keeper and fell to his feet.

The Swifts put themselves in front after 65 minutes. A clever John Massey pass left Graham alone with the keeper, who he easily rounded and fired the ball into an empty net.

The game was far from over, yet the Swifts were still wasting chances to score and put the game out of reach. The lack of finishing nearly came back to haunt them when, with ten minutes remaining, some sloppy play resulted in an equaliser being scored.

Both teams threw everything they had left into the last ten minutes, but it was the Swifts who were able to find the goal to put themselves back into the lead. A pin point cross from captain Andy Birchenough was skillfully headed into the net by Jason Collins.

Melville, atacking to find an equaliser, were left short on defence and the Matamata win was finally secured when Scott Parsonage scored off a counter attack. The win means the Swifts cannot be caught for the league title with three games remaining.