Rotorua United and Ngongotaha maintained 100 per cent records after round five of the 2016 WaiBOP Premiership, but in vastly different circumstances.
Ngongotaha, leaders on goal difference heading into the weekend, increased their advantage after their scheduled opponents, Tauranga Boys College, defaulted citing school commitments. This gave the Villagers the most comfortable 3-0 victory they'll get all season.
In contrast, Rotorua United battled past Otumoetai First Credit Union at Tauranga's Fergusson Park to win 2-1 for their fifth win in five games. United, coming off a 4-0 mauling at Taupo in their Anzac Day Chatham Cup Preliminary round match, were ahead at the break through another Dayne Willemsen goal. The sides traded goals after the break, with Willemsen getting his second while Juan Pablo Rosende replied for the hosts.
The two Rotorua-based sides sit joint top of the Premiership after five rounds and are five points ahead of third placed Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts.
Something will give this Saturday, as Ngongotaha head across town to play United in the match of the season.
SGS Papamoa completed the expected comfortable 4-1 win at bottom side, Tauranga City United. Papamoa scored twice in each half through Tom Crane, Marrick Zadak twice and Ben Van der Salm, while Tauranga replied with a goal from Kieran Kite.
The Swifts defeated Katikati 2-0 at home, current champions, Cambridge, beat Melville United 4-2 at John Kerkhof Park and Waikato Unicol dropped more points after behind held to a 1-1 draw at home by lowly Old Blues.
In the WaiBOP Women's Premier League, Otumoetai Bay SportsMed, who have a game in hand and sit one point behind top-placed Melville, buried Hamilton Wanderers 6-2 at Porritt Stadium.
Laura Griffen, Nikki Couling, Alice Cotter, Anna Fullerton, Theresa Rhein and Vanessa Monk scored for Otumoetai.
Results:
WaiBOP Premiership: Otumoetai FC First Credit Union 1 Rotorua United 2, Cambridge FC 4 Melville United 2, evens.
Tauranga City 1 SGS Papamoa 4, Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts 2 Katikati FC Ambria 0, Waikato Unicol 1 Old Blues 1, Ngongotaha 3-0 Tauranga Boys' College (default).
WaiBOP Championship: Otumoetai FC Reserves 1 Hamilton Wanderers 1, Matamata Swifts Reserves 1 Tokoroa AFC 2, Ngongotaha Reserves 3 Te Awamutu Edmond Judd 1, Waikato Unicol Reserves 1 Old Blues Reserves 0, Taupo AFC 2 West Hamilton 2 Cambridge FC Reserves 3 Whakatane Town 0 (default).
WaiBOP Women's Premier League: Northern United 9 Waikato Unicol 1, Claudelands Rovers 1 Melville United 2, Hamilton Wanderers 2 Otumoetai Bay Sportsmed 6.
- In the Northern Regional Premier division, Tauranga City United went down 3-0 to Forrest Hill-Milford United, putting them 10th in the 13-team premiership.