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Peter Vossen Builders Matamata Swifts have let a gilt-edged chance of wrapping up the Waikato Bay of Plenty Federation League slip through their fingers after a careless second half showing at Links Ave. The game finished 2-2, but the Swifts were two up and cruising inside the first 20 minutes.
 Andy Birchenough and Tim Miller scored to set the Swifts up for a seemingly inevitable victory. Birchenough settled the nerves for Matamata on the fifteen minute mark after an opening in which the hosts did their best to rough the Swifts up. His crisp finish held with it the promise of many more goals to come. Miller was on hand only moments later to tap home from point blank range after a Jon Allen free kick had hit the woodwork.
Tauranga didn’t even look like threatening during the first 45 minutes, which makes what happened after the break even more inconceivable.
The hosts pulled their first goal back just after the restart. It was a good hit from the edge of the box but the amount of space the Tauranga player was given so close to goal was more than a little worrying.
The remainder of the half was virtually one way traffic. Matamata had more than enough opportunities to grab the killer third goal, but it wasn’t to be. Andrew Clothier went close twice, while Jon Allen had two shots from distance well saved. The Swifts’ annoying inclination to want to walk the ball into the goal was also to the fore.
The sting in the tail came less than ten minutes from the end when the Swifts defence was punished for their only mistake of the day, leaving the Tauranga striker to tap the ball into an empty goal.
Matamata had one final opportunity when they were awarded an indirect free kick inside the box with only minutes remaining. Unfortunately the shot was cleared by a defender who looked remarkably less than ten yards from the ball when the kick was taken.
The stink of decay surrounding Links Ave was lifted, if only for a short time.
This result leaves the Matamata with a must win game against Claudelands Rovers next Saturday. Any other result will see the Swifts finish second to Taupo for the fourth year in a row.
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