Football: Hopes slip after Ngongotaha draw

Ngongotaha's Mitch Miller provided a valuable first-half goal.

The WaiBOP Premiership title race took another twist at the weekend as Cambridge slipped home with a narrow win over Melville United, while Ngongotaha dropped their first points since June 13 after being held to a draw at Matamata Domain.

At halftime in both games, it looked like it would be business as usual for the title challengers.

At Matamata Domain, Ngongotaha had the better of a frantic opening 10 minutes against Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts. Goals from Mitch Miller and Luke Barker, sandwiched a Sam Masterson strike from range to have the visitors 2-1 up and in control. They wasted two decent openings to extend their lead but entered halftime with the expectation of more goals.

Ngongotaha hit the upright during the second half and butchered another glorious opening before the twist of the weekend arrived.

Matamata's Andrew Clothier turned and was tripped in the box, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a penalty. Jamie Baxter stroked it home in what would be the final goal scoring action of the game, which finished 2-all.

Cambridge youngster Henry Stephen gave his side the perfect start when his cross-come shot ended up in the back of the next after all of 10 seconds. Stephen doubled Cambridge's lead, on the half hour, when his sweetly struck free kick bent its way into the back of the net.

The second half at John Kerkhof Park didn't quite go according to the script. Melville fought their way back into the game through a Subesh Naidu goal with 20 minutes left, but the hosts held on, if a little nervy at times, to claim an important 2-1 victory. As it turned out, that could be one of their most important wins of the season.

When the final whistle blew at both venues, Cambridge had extended their lead to seven points at the top of the table. Even though Ngongotaha have two games in hand, it is now Cambridge who hold the advantage.

In other games, fourth-placed SGS Papamoa beat Rotorua United 3-2 at home. Papamoa led 2-1 at the break and the sides traded goals in the second half to leave Papamoa with their sixth win, to go with seven draws, from 17 games in their first season at this level. Brad Hill and George Watson scored what would ultimately be consolation goals for the visitors.

Tauranga Boys' College grabbed their second win in a row to haul themselves off the bottom of the table. They led 3-0 at the break at Katikati, thanks to goals from Sam Haywood, Andrew Robinson and Wilson Fisher, but the hosts fought back in the second half. Dane Stollery and Josh Boyes struck for Katikati but it wasn't enough to stop the students from doing a league double over them.

Otumoetai eased their relegation fears with a comfortable 3-0 win over a rapidly sinking Waikato Unicol. Daniel Miller, Dave Williams and Mo Funfeild all hit the back of the net to move Otumoetai up two spots to eighth. They sit in the middle of a group of five teams separated by only a point, all of which are at least five points clear of relegation.

In the other game, Old Blues stayed in fifth with a 3-0 win at Tauranga City United. City United now prop up the table.

WaiBOP Premiership points: Cambridge FC 40, Ngongotaha AFC 33, Melville United Prem 30, Papamoa 25, Tauranga Old Blues 25, Waikato Unicol Prem 17, Matamata Swifts 17, Otumoetai FC First Credit Union 16, Rotorua United 16.

Premiership weekend results

Otumoetai FC 3 Waikato Unicol 0,
Papamoa FC 3 Rotorua United Prem 2,
Cambridge FC 2 Melville United 1,
Tauranga City 0 Tauranga Old Blues 3,
Matamata Swifts 2 Ngongotaha 2,
Katikati 2 Tauranga Boys' College 3

Championship results

Cambridge 4 Whakatane 2,
Matamata Swifts 2 Ngongotaha 1,
Kawerau Sports 2 Te Puke United 1,
Te Awamutu 0 Claudelands 0,
Tauranga Old Blues 1 West Hamilton 2.

Bye - Tokoroa