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Matamata Swifts 'A' threw away a promising performance, and all three points, by turning in a muddled, disorganised second half performance against opponents they should have beaten handsomly.
Matamata started the game strongly, playing good, sharp, precise football on the parched Domain number 2 field. After Matamata fired off a couple of warning shots, Blair Van Waveren took it on himself to open the scoring. A surging run from half way left several defenders scrambling before his deft finish laid the advancing keeper helpless.
Bevan Shelley doubled the lead soon after. His drive through a crowded penalty area took a couple of deflections, which only served to delay the inevitable by several fractions of a second.
At 2-0 Matamata should have set about walking away with the game, but the side became a little lazy and were soon made to pay the penalty. Literally. Right on the break the visitors were awarded a spot kick and didn't waste their lifeline.
A much better Hamilton North side rejoined the fray after their half time oranges. Unfortunately they encountered a Matamata side that had gone sharply off the boil. That the visitors only managed the one second half goal was something of a blessing, although Matamata would have been disappointed to have a penalty shout of their own waved away late on after Scott Parsonage had his heals clipped by the last defender.
In the end a draw was close to the right result as both sides had sustained periods of dominance. Still, it was a match full of nice little lessons for some of the players looking to break into the first team. And that, after all, is why the Swifts 'A' side is in this particular division.
Swifts A Squad: Matt Aberhart; Blair Van Waveren, Daniel Holmes (Joe Alves 70m), Eric Van Waveren, Jamie Baxter; Andrew Clothier, Andrew Jordan, Bevan Shelley, Scott Parsonage; Adam Graham, Mike Spencer. Subs not used: Jake Watkin, Marcelo Marquez.
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Above "That way, please."
Above Andrew Jordan swings his hips into it. 
Above Run waterboy, run!