Peter Vossen Builders Matamata Swifts have come within the width of a football of claiming a valuable point on the road against unbeaten league leaders Birkenhead United.

The home team’s winner was scored with fourteen minutes remaining and was one of those classic slow motion moments. A scuffed shot from inside the area nicked a couple players on the way through, wrong footing the Swifts defence who desperately struggled through the slosh to get to the ball as it tricked towards the goal. The ball stopped in the mud only centimetres over the line.

Despite this rather unfortunate ending there was much to be pleased about after another good Swifts performance. It was, of course, always going to be a difficult proposition taking on the best performed side in the league but the Swifts gave it a good shake on a puggy surface and with a gale force wind sweeping down the pitch. Matamata also lost Harry Redwood, a key recent performer, to an injury received during his school game in the morning, forcing a slight reshuffle to the side.

The Swifts had first use of the breeze and started well, but Birkenhead went ahead in only the eighth minute. Ged Parkinson had his pocket picked and seconds later the ball was in the net. It was a soft goal to give up against a good side and it took a while for Matamata to get back into the match. Too often they gave the struggled to keep the ball, coughing up cheap possession.

Just after the half hour mark, however, Matamata was back in the game. Good work from Mark Knell led to a shot that saw one of United’s defenders use his hand to stop the ball from going in the net. The penalty was awarded and Birkenhead were left to play the final 58 minutes with ten men. Jason Feck converted from the spot to draw Matamata level.

Matamata pressed for the remainder of the half, putting a nervous looking United keeper under increasing pressure. The second goal didn’t come, however, and that ultimately cost the Swifts their chance of taking anything from the game.

The wind was acting almost like an extra player, ensuring the second half would be an extremely tough task for Matamata, but the side dealt well with the pressure. Birkenhead spent most of the half bombing the ball down the field, with it usually sailing harmlessly out or into the arms of Tom Pamment in the Matamata goal.

Goal scoring chances were at a premium at both ends, with the Swifts’ best second half opportunity seeing a Mark Knell shot on the angle well saved. There was a rather distasteful moment not long before Birkenhead’s winner when one of their strikers two-footed Pamment on the touchline. Surprisingly he only received a yellow card.

Birkenhead scored their scrappy winner in the 76th minute and also hit the upright late on to send Matamata home with nothing.