Metso Matamata Swifts got their Waikato Premier League (WPL) season underway a week later than expected with victory over traditional rivals, Te Awamutu, in their first home game of the season.

The margin, an emphatic five goals, was bigger than anyone would have anticipated and, while it was rough justice on the visitors, it will leave the Swifts fans reassured that their side does actually know how to find the back of the net.

The Swifts side that took the field for this match was a different commodity to the one that stumbled to defeat last Saturday. Gone was the hesitancy and impotence that had infected the team in Otorohanga, to be replaced by an urgency and cutting edge that will leave nobody in any doubt that Matamata is serious about defending their WPL title.

The Matamata coaching staff shuffled the pack before the game and came up with a reshaped side that immediately looked better balanced. The temptation to make wholesale changes was resisted, with only two new faces starting the match. Adam Graham came in up front and Bevan Shelley slotted in at the back for the unavailable Ged Parkinson.

The 4-4-2 experiment was abandoned as the Swifts went back to a more familiar 3-5-2 set up. Juan Carlos Rodriguez tucked in to a holding midfield role behind Alberto Romero and Andy Birchenough, while Hayri Cihan moved to a wide midfield position and John Massey was pushed up front to partner Graham.

From there it was all about finding a way to score goals and thankfully this week they arrived. A 25 yard belter from Andy Birchenough was all the Swifts had to show from their first half efforts although, in truth, they would have settled for that at the break. The first period was an even contest and, while the Swifts should probably have had a more comfortable lead at the interval, they were also thankful to goalie, Gary Darkes, who pulled off two cracking saves to keep his sheet clean.

As in the Caper Cup final a fortnight ago, the Swifts grabbed a second goal from the penalty spot not long into the second half. Hayri Cihan got hold of the ball before anyone else, thus taking responsibility for giving his side the two goal cushion they needed. He didn't disappoint, setting his side on the way to victory with a neatly despatched shot.

In an entertaining last twenty minutes Matamata scored three further goals while their opponents hit the upright and forced Darkes into making several more excellent stops.

John Massey got Matamata's third goal which made the game safe, and it came only moments after he had another effort superbly saved. A Neil Slater cross was headed home by a Te Awamutu defender for the fourth, while Jason Collins buried another Slater cross, along with several Te Awamutu players, in to the net to wrap up the scoring.

Te Awamutu didn't do anything to disappoint their travelling band of supporters, putting in a solid effort. Despite the scoreline they will prove to be one of the better teams in this league.

The Waikato Premier League takes a break over Easter, which means Matamata won't be back in action until April 22, when they travel to Hamilton to play Claudelands. The Schick Quattro man of the match for Matamata was goalie, Gary Darkes.