Ngaruawahia 1 v Matamata Swifts 4
A glut of three goals in six minutes midway through the first half proved
to be the difference on Saturday as the Matamata Swifts found out what
it's like to win again with a tough, but ultimately convincing, victory
in Ngaruawahia.
In recent weeks goals have been the rarest of commodities for the Swifts
to come by but they turned things around in a big way against their lowly
hosts, racing out to a four goal lead by the early stages of the second
half. Defensively the Swifts were also pretty sound with the only goal
they gave up coming from the penalty spot.
The match was pretty much wrapped up by the half-hour mark as Matamata
built themselves an unassailable lead. After several half chances the
Swifts went goal crazy in the space of six mad minutes as Billy Garcia
scored twice, either side of Joe Alves' first strike of the season. The
left-hand side of Ngaruawahia's defense was torn to shreds by Bevan Shelley
who had a hand in all three goals, while Garcia and Alves were calm and
clinical in taking their chances.
The result was fortified less than ten minutes into the second half when
Alves knocked home his second goal of the match. He found himself on the
end of a crisp passing movement and made no mistake from twelve yards.
Ngaruawahia grabbed their consolation goal from the penalty spot twenty
minutes from the end. In truth that seemed the only way they were ever
going the get the ball in the back of the net. Their composure in front
of goal was just appalling and some of the credit for that can be placed
on the shoulders of the Matamata back three of Adam Graham, Pete Challis
and Dave Mann. On the odd occasion they did manage to get a shot on target
Ian Moody, in the Matamata goal, proved to be a formidable barrier.
To be fair to the home side, the match was a more even contest than the
score indicated. The difference between the two sides was down to two
things; the Swifts were just a little more switched on defensively while,
in front of goal, Ngaruawahia went to pieces.
For Matamata Colin Taylor was, once again, a dynamo in midfield and was
later named the Swifts man of the match. Bevan Shelley contributed another
tireless performance on the right hand side of midfield while special
mention should also be made of the two goalscorers, Garcia and Alves.
Their poise in front of goal ensured the Swifts a much needed victory.
Matamata will look to continue their good form in their next match against
Otorohanga. It will be the team's first game at home since the start of
August and their final home game of the season. Kick-off is at 1pm.
Swifts XI 1-Ian Moody; 2-Adam Graham, 16-Dave Mann, 5-Pete Challis;
7-Bevan Shelley, 4-Colin Taylor, 8-Dwayne Barlow, 10-Ryan Carter; 15-Justin
Read, 9-Billy Garcia, 10-Joe Alves.
Other Results
Melville 0 v Otorohanga 2
Putaruru 5 v Cambridge 6
Te Awamutu 2 v Hamilton North 1
Tokoroa 1 v West Hamilton 3
Wanderers 2 v Claudelands 2
Catch-up game (played 31/8/03)
Otorohanga 3 v West Hamilton 2
|
FULL
TABLE (31/08/03)
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Pts
|
|
| Claudelands |
19
|
14
|
2
|
3
|
42
|
13
|
44
|
|
| West Hamilton |
17
|
13
|
1
|
3
|
39
|
16
|
40
|
|
| Hamilton North |
20
|
12
|
2
|
6
|
57
|
24
|
38
|
|
| Te Awamutu |
19
|
11
|
2
|
6
|
46
|
24
|
35
|
|
| Cambridge |
20
|
10
|
3
|
7
|
38
|
37
|
33
|
|
| Otorohanga |
19
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
43
|
49
|
27
|
|
| Melville |
19
|
7
|
3
|
9
|
27
|
39
|
24
|
|
| Wanderers |
19
|
6
|
5
|
8
|
24
|
29
|
23
|
|
| Putaruru |
19
|
7
|
1
|
11
|
46
|
64
|
22
|
|
| Matamata |
20
|
5
|
1
|
14
|
23
|
45
|
16
|
|
| Tokoroa |
19
|
4
|
3
|
12
|
24
|
36
|
15
|
|
| Ngaruawahia |
18
|
3
|
1
|
14
|
18
|
51
|
10
|
Joe Alves (partly obscured) and Colin Taylor make no mistake in the tackle.