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Peter Vossen Builders Matamata Swifts finally consigned their draw fetish to history with a 4-2 victory over title challengers, Whakatane Town, in a game that had everything. With the pressure on both sides, it was Matamata who reacted the best, with a dominating performance against the only side to beat them in the league this season.
Both sides were missing key players. Mark Abbs and Andrew Taylor were absent for Matamata,  forcing a creative reshuffle at the back. Leading scorer, Mark Knell, was moved into right back and put in a great shift in an unfamiliar position.
Alberto Romero, back in the side for the first time in eight weeks, and playing in an unfamiliar role up front, was the star turn for Matamata, grabbing the first two goals, either side of half time, to nudge the Swifts ahead. His first was a genuine work of art, latching on to a Tim Miller cross, calmly beating three players in the box before picking his moment to roll the ball inside the upright.
Romero’s second goal, less than ten minutes after the re-start, was a poacher’s finish from close range and came after a couple of his team mates had already had a go at knocking the ball home. At this point the Swifts appeared to have the game in the bag.
Then came some real drama.
The visitors clawed it back to 2-2 through a freak free kick and a divisive penalty. The free kick, from all of 50 yards out, saw the ball lifted into the blinding mid-winter sun, get lost by everyone and bounce, almost apologetically, into the goal.
The penalty, with just over 15 minutes to go, was just plain crazy. A Whakatane player appeared to lead harmlessly with his elbow in challenging Swifts centre back, Ged Parkinson, in the box and everyone, including the visiting players, were shocked when the linesman intervened and encouraged the ref to award the spot kick. Tom Pamment made a superb save only to have the same linesman flag him for moving incorrectly before the kick was taken. Whakatane scored from the retake.
The visitors reacted to their incredible luck as if they’d won the game. The Swifts just got their heads back in the match and won the game.
Within a couple of minutes of the equaliser Ismail Awad was played in and smashed home an unstoppable drive from just inside the box. Jon Allen, who had been hampered by a groin injury for most of the match, sealed the victory with an expert finish late on. Game over!
Matamata is at home again this Saturday against fourth placed Rotorua United. Kick-off is at the usual time of 2.45pm.
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