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Matamata Swifts 1 v Wanderers 1
Saturday June 15, 2002
Waikato 1st Division

For the second week in a row Matamata Swifts were unlucky not to beat a top-three side, being held to a draw by visitors, Hamilton Wanderers. It was a good solid performance from the Swifts that should have been rewarded with a victory and, indeed, would have, but for a controversial late equaliser.

Matamata began the match positively and generally held the upper hand for most of the first half. David Hyslop and Jamie Cox put in plenty of work up front, pressurising the Wanderers back four and creating chances for their teammates. From one of these openings, Hyslop slipped a neat ball between two static Wanderers defenders and right into the path of Adam Graham. Graham left his marker standing and struck home a first time shot from twenty yards. The goal would not have looked out of place on a far greater stage.

At the back, Matamata were generally untroubled. Goalie Ian Moody, playing his first game between the sticks this season, looked right at home and was assisted by a tight defensive performance from his back four.

After the break, the visitors hauled themselves back into the game. They started to look a bit more threatening and finally began to move the Matamata midfield and defense around. As the game wore on, however, it began to look like Wanderers would struggle to find the goal they needed. Plenty of desperate Matamata defending, coupled with some poor Wanderers decision making in front of goal, helped keep the visitors at bay.

Just as it began to look like the Swifts would walk off with the narrowest of victories controversy struck, in the form of the Wanderers equaliser. Following a break for an injury to Matamata sweeper, Bevan Shelley, and with the Swifts medical staff still leaving the field, Wanderers restarted play. They caught the Swifts defense, along with the referee, on the back foot, and bundled their goal home. Disappointingly, the official let it stand.

The goal was a bitter pill for the Matamata players to have to swallow. They didn't do so with the greatest of grace, but their frustration was more than understandable.

After this flashpoint, the game petered out to a draw neither side would have been overly delighted with. Matamata needs to notch up a few wins to pull themselves clear of relegation while, for Wanderers, victory would have ensured they maintained second place in the league.

The Matamata Hotel players of the day were goalie Ian Moody and centre-back David Mann.

Other Results:
Cambridge 5 v Unicol 4, Claudelands 4 v Tokoroa 1,
Melville 3 v Te Awamutu 1, Ngaruawahia 2 v West Hamilton 2.

Full Table (as at June 15):