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Matamata Swifts 8 v Unicol 0*
Saturday June 29, 2002
Waikato 1st Division

Matamata Swifts gave their season a massive boost with an emphatic 8-0 home victory against an understrength Unicol side on Saturday. The Swifts are playing with far more confidence than earlier in the season and extended their unbeaten run following a performance in which everything clicked.

The result was beyond doubt within 20-minutes as the Swifts raced to an early three goal lead. Jamie Cox and David Hyslop each got a goal apiece, with Cox's strike coming in the first minute and Hyslop's following an intricate passing move that started with goalie, Ian Moody. Matamata's third came from a free-kick, with Bevan Shelley stepping up to hammer home one of his specialties.

After the early blitz the game settled for a while as Unicol started to get back into the game. The visitors threatened a couple of times but Moody, revelling in his switch back to goalie, had all the answers.

The Swifts wrapped up the first half scoring with another Adam Graham classic. Graham received the ball on the right, jinked past two defenders, then lashed his shot home from fully thirty yards. It was a fitting end to a superb 45-minutes from the Swifts.

After the break Matamata continued their good form. Another early goal from Cox, this time a rare headed effort, got things going, but the second half really belonged to the two Matamata subs.

Justin Read got his first two goals of the season and they were both right out of the top drawer. His first came directly from a corner as his wickedly curling dead-ball strike dipped under the cross bar. This was, however, just an entree for the goal of the game and, perhaps, the Swifts goal of the season.

A well worked move out of defense found Adam Graham free out wide. His measured cross was headed down by Hyslop to the feet of midfielder, John Van Gog. A little Cruyff turn from Van Gog was followed by a cheeky flick towards Read, who cushioned the ball on his chest then slammed home a left-footed volley. Magic!

The scoring was completed five minutes from the end as Chris Hayworth, in his debut for Matamata, tucked home a neat shot from ten yards.

Other Results:
Claudelands 1 v Cambridge 0, Melville 4 v West Ham 2,
Ngaruawahia 3 v Tokoroa 0, Te Awamutu 1 v Wanderers 2.

Full Table (as at June 29):

* The report above is a complete load of bollocks. Matamata actually won by default as Unicol could only muster five players for this fixture. It's nice to dream, though.