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Two goals from centre forward Andre Freitas was enough to win this important fixture for Matamata Swifts and, in the process, send the side back to the top of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Federation League.
This match was played between two good footballing sides who created a host really good goal scoring opportunities. It should have ended something like 7-4, but the youthful naiveity of the home side and the elaborate excesses of the Swifts meant it went right down to the wire.
 A tight first half was punctuated by one goal at either end of the field and either end of the period. Matamata started the stronger and were ahead in the ninth minute. A free kick was floated in to the head of Duncan Lowry who headed the ball into a maelstrom of players. Freitas reacted the quickest to stab the ball home from eight yards.
The Swifts had chances to go further ahead before the home side netted a scrappy equaliser. A shot from distance wasn't dealt with cleanly and from the melee that followed a Wanderers player scuffed the ball home. This came on the half hour mark and led to the home side's best period of the match. They pulled the Swifts midfield all over the field and had the chances to go ahead.
A couple of one on one opportunities were spurned and they also saw Swifts keeper, Gary Darkes, react sharply to push a wicked deflected shot onto the post.
The break came at the right time for Matamata. Carlos Rodriguez came in, the Swifts settled and were the better side in a second half they should have run away with, given the goal scoring chances they created.
Rodriguez was in the action almost immediately, having a shot parried away by the busy Wanderers keeper.
Freitas hit the cross bar from a towering header ten minutes before he grabbed the winner. There wasn't anything pretty about this goal either, but it counted the same as a thirty yard screamer and ultimately secured the three points.
The Swifts also hit the upright during the second half, had some decent shots well saved by Wanderers keeper (their man of the match) and exhibited a worringly frustrating tendency to want to walk the ball into the net rather than take responsibility for the shot.
The talented young Wanderers side kept going to the end but ran out of ideas. The closest they came to scoring in the second half was from a well stuck free kick and from a Swifts defensive header.
With previous leaders, Taupo, in cup action this was an important match for Matamata to win to keep the pressure on their title rivals. It doesn't matter whether you score one goal or ten goals more than your opponents to nab three points.
Rotorua slammed seven past their local rivals, Ngongotaha, and will be primed and ready for their trip to Crown Park next Saturday. The whole league will be watching that fixture with huge interest.
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Above Carlos Rodriguez gets in front of his man.
