Metso Matamata Swifts grabbed the first piece of silverware on offer in the 2006 football season following a resounding, comprehensive and destructive victory over Bay of Plenty side, Rotorua Suburbs.

The Swifts, current Waikato Premier League champions, had been targeting this game as a must win encounter from the time the first ball was kicked this pre-season. The side didn't let down the large band of supporters who made the journey to the neutral venue at Links Ave in Mt Maunganui.

A six goal second half effort put paid to the spirited, but ultimately limited, Rotorua side, while man of the match, Scott Parsonage feasted on his tasty opponents scoring four of the Matamata goals.

Parsonage's tally included the first goal of the match, which arrived after only ten minutes, courtesy of his trusty left foot. Matamata had begun the match well and the goal was the least they deserved.

Almost immediately Matamata went off the boil. Their performance simmered throughout the remainder of a first half in which Suburbs snatched a frustrating, but merited equaliser. The goal itself was a disappointing one to conceed as Suburbs' star player simply ran through a handful of weak and non-existant challanges to poke the ball home.

The less said about the bumbling first half Swifts effort the better, so we'll move right along to events that took place after the break.

The Swifts were back to their usual confident selves following a few pointed half time remarks from their coaching staff. Within minutes Matamata had restored their lead, with the decisive goal coming from the penalty spot. Regular penalty taker, Ged Parkinson, smacked the ball home to set the Swifts on their way to victory.

After that the game turned into a rout as Matamata piled on the pressure and buried their opponents under an avelanche of goals. Parsonage took his goal count to four, which included goals with both his left and right feet and from his head. He was joined on the scoresheet by Neil Slater, who volleyed home from close range, and Adam Graham, who tucked away a neat far post header from an Andy Birchenough cross.

The vastly improved second half display gave the large crowd some idea of the quality of this current Matamata side. From Gary Darkes in goal, who pulled off one crucial first half save to stop Suburbs going ahead, to the midfield foursome of Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Alberto Romero, captain Andy Birchenough and Scott Parsonage, the Swifts positively oozed class.

The back four came under less and less pressure as the match went on and were able contribute fully to Matamata's attacking efforts. The two centrebacks, Ged Parkinson and Duncan Lowery, were lethal in the air, while the fullbacks, John Massey and Colin Taylor, got further and further forward as the game drifted on.

This victory, in a match traditionally played between the Waikato and Bay of Plenty champions, was the perfect way for the Swifts to begin the 2006 season. Along with the cup, Matamata won a full playing kit courtesy of event sponsors, Knockout Sportswear.

The side begins the defence of their Waikato Premier League title this coming Saturday with a fixture in Otorohanga. Their first home league match of the season is against Te Awamutu the following Saturday.