Otumoetai 1 v Matamata Swifts 1

The Swifts continued their pre-season with a tough match against Otumoetai on a hot Tauranga afternoon. The Swifts, sporting seven changes from the side that played Greerton recently, began slowly and were on the back foot for most of the first quarter of the match. The home side's goal came in this opening period as a speculator from distance sailed in over a stranded Bevan Shelley in the Matamata goal.

As the match wore on, however, the Swifts pattern of play began to take on a more promising shape. The back three settled down, giving the midfield more chance to have an influence on the game. Sho, a Japanese flyer wide on the Swifts midfield, proved to be a good outlet down the left, helping create several good chances for the front three.

The final quarter saw the Swifts score a well deserved equaliser, albeit from the penalty spot. David Hyslop calmly stroked the ball home for the first of what will, hopefully, be many Swifts strikes this season. Matamata almost snatched a late winner but unfortunately Bevan Shelley, playing in a more customary (non-goalkeeping) position, was denied by an excellent point-blank save.

Swifts Squad 1-Bevan Slater; 4-Colin Taylor, 12-Robert Cox, 7-Peter Jenkins; 6-Dai Lowry, 14-John Van Gog, 8-Jason Collins, 13-Sho; 9-David Hyslop; 10-Adam Graham, 5-Jamie Cox; 2-Chris Jenkins, 11-Joe Alves, 15-David Mann, 16-Joseph Dew.