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Unicol 4 v Matamata Swifts 3
Saturday April 27, 2002
Waikato 1st Division

Matamata Swifts' 1st Division season showed signs of spluttering into life against Unicol on Saturday until the blisteringly hot conditions, along with a fair helping of lazy play, took its toll on the team.

For the first twenty minutes of this match the Swifts were untouchable. They had the ball in the back of the net twice and should probably have scored a couple more. Matamata's passing and movement was superb and this, allied with an increased hunger, saw the team play some of its best football in ages.

With the central midfield duo of John Van Gog and Bevan Shelley pulling the strings, and David Hyslop posing all sorts of problems down the right, Matamata scored two contrasting goals. The first was a well-crafted effort, finished off by Jamie Cox who rolled the ball home with the outside of his right foot. Minutes later Cox was on the scoresheet again. He pressured Unicol's keeper into a mistake and bundled the ball home to give Matamata a well-deserved two goal lead.

From that point, however, Matamata went off the boil and allowed their opponents back into the game. The Swifts off the ball movement, which was so devastating in the opening stages of the match, evaporated for no apparent reason. Unicol seized their chance and, after going close a couple of times, won a penalty not long before the break. It was converted to get the home side back into the match.

Following an enforced half time substitution by Matamata the game was level almost immediately. Unicol scrambled the ball home from the edge of the box after the Swifts had a couple of opportunities to clear the ball. The game was back in the balance with Unicol looking the more likely to score.

As the second half wore on the energy sapping conditions meant the game was down to walking pace for long periods. During this time, the Swifts let in two more ridiculous goals. Twice Matamata defenders performed poorly in one on one situations, and twice Unicol scored, giving themselves an unassailable 4-2 lead.

Matamata did manage the last say, however. With less than a minute on the clock, the Swifts were awarded a penalty, which was duly converted by John Van Gog. It wasn't enough and left the Swifts to reflect on how, and why, they can be so good and then so bad during the course of a single match.

Other Results:

Cambridge 3 v Claudelands 2, Tokoroa 1 v Ngaruawahia 1,
Wanderers 0 v Te Awamutu 3, West Ham 0 v Melville 0.

Full Table (as at April 27):