On the same day the new Wembly Stadium was being used to host its first FA Cup final New Zealand's version of that competition, the Chatham Cup, was kicking off up and down the country. Metso Matamata Swifts, like every other club in New Zealand, dreams of cup glory and their campaign got off to a winning, if not particularly impressive, start.

The only thing the Swifts management knew about their opponents, Auckland-based club Bohemian Celtic, was that they would be tough nuts to crack. And so it proved. The visitors, with nothing to lose, put up a passionate, aggressive and, at times, skilful performance that had Matamata on the rack for large chunks of the game.

Matamata was able to notch goals right at the start and right at the end of the game to ensure victory, but suffered several scares along the way. Scott Parsonage got things underway inside the first ten minutes with a crisply struck left-foot strike. This settled the home side down although, even then, they were not playing particularly well.

The visitors forced Swifts keeper, Gary Darkes, to make three good saves during the first half while, at the other end, Matamata barely threatened. After the break it was more of the same as the game ebbed and flowed from one team to the other. The visitors grabbed an equaliser twenty minutes in to set up a rip roaring, grandstand finish in front of the sizeable, noisy and boisterous crowd.

With the match looking destined for extra time Jason Collins was fouled near the touch line. Alberto Romero stepped up and, with the tall timber screaming for the ball deep, bent a cheeky shot just inside the near post to win the game for Matamata. It was a rare touch of class on an otherwise brutal day.

With the Matamata Club Swifts Reserves winning at Melville United and the Matamata College 1st XI defeating Waikato secondary schools powerhouse, Hillcrest High School, in the schools knockout cup it was another good day for football in Matamata.

The Swifts are back in league action this Saturday when they travel to Huntly.