It was the best of days and the worst of days for Metso Matamata Swifts in their return to Waikato Premier League (WPL) action on Saturday. The Swifts put in their best footballing performance of the season but were simply woeful in front of goal.

It was the latest episode in what is becoming a recurring nightmare for the team during the 2006 football season. As has so often been the case this season Matamata destroyed their opponents with the quality of their football, but again struggled in front of goal and were forced to exit this match with a solitary point, when a significant victory would really have been a more accurate result.

While it is human nature to look at what the Swifts did wrong, rather than give credit to the performance of their opponents, on this occasion the result was purely down to Matamata not turning their vastly superior possession into goals.

There's not really too much that can be said after a result like this. Matamata was the best team on the field by the length of the football pitch. They created a multitude of chances, more than enough to win three or four games. They hit the woodwork four times. They spent more time in their attacking third than during any previous game this season. They played very well. And yet they still failed to score more than a solitary goal and take more than a point from this match.

So what happens next for Matamata? Does the team have to accept that this is just the way things are going to be this season or do they look to their attacking players to take some responsibility for doing the job they are in the side to do?

The Swifts are, without question, a far superior footballing side to any other team they will play in the WPL this season. That's not an idle boast. It's just the way it is. Unfortunately, that's not going to be enough in a league where other teams raise their game, as if it's a Cup final, when they play the Swifts. Their opponents scrap and fight and stay in the game for longer than most of the teams Matamata played last year and that seems to be a serious problem.

The goal scoring action in this match took place late in the game. Ngaruawahia, despite not having anything even resembling a decent goal scoring chance took an unlikely lead with less than twenty minutes to go following what can best be described as a howler of a mistake at the back for Matamata. It was the type of nasty little goal that was likely following the side's failure to put their opponents away. Very disappointing.

Soon after the Swifts grabbed the equaliser from the penalty spot after Alberto Romero had been tripped in the box. Ged Parkinson doesn't miss from that range and duly put the Swifts back on level terms. The fact that he is Matamata's centre back and also their top scorer so far this season really says everything about the Swifts' lack of production in front of goal.

It would be naive to look at this match as a wake up call for the Swifts, because they've had a couple of those already this season. A ridiculous loss in Otorohanga and a draw in Hamilton against Claudelands should have seen the side more focussed by now.

This wasteful dropping of points means Matamata will probably struggle to defend their WPL title, although there is still a long way to go. The side certainly won't give up, but they are now reliant on other teams to drop points. All they can hope to do is find someone who wants to put the ball in the back of the net, try to win games and hope for the best.

Matamata is at home again this coming Saturday when they play Northern League 2nd division side, Cambridge, in their second Chatham Cup fixture of the season. The club will be hoping for a similar performance but a better result. Kick-off is at the earlier than usual time of 2pm.