Football: Ngongotaha in sight of leaders

Josh O'Sullivan (left), of Ngongotaha, in action against Melville United on Saturday during a 1-1 draw. Photo / Stephen Parker

Ngongotaha were unable to leapfrog Melville United on the WaiBOP Premiership standings after the two sides battled out a 1-1 draw at Stembridge Rd.

Second-placed Melville visited third-placed Ngongotaha on Saturday, the home side going up 1-0 in the first half through Luke Barker.

Melville's Grayson Sutcliffe hit back with an equaliser in the second period.

The result helped neither side, although they both have games in hand over the leaders Cambridge.

The result also meant Cambridge preserved their seven-point lead at the top of the table despite being held scoreless in a drab 0-0 draw at lowly Otumoetai.

Otumoetai have been something of a bogey team for the red and whites in recent seasons, so a point could be considered an acceptable outcome for Cambridge, who bag another competition point towards their first premiership title.

Rotorua United continued their resurgence in the league on Saturday with a convincing 5-1 win over Tauranga City United at Links Ave.

United have now won three games on the trot, moving further away from the relegation spots and closer to the middle of the table.

A brace from defender Dave Cheater plus goals to Brody Corder, Brad Hill and captain Lawrie Scott made sure of the result for United.

In other premiership games, SGS Papamoa were held 1-1 at home by Waikato Unicol and the Matamata Swifts played host in a 1-1 draw against Katikati.

The final premiership match saw Tauranga Old Blues beat bottom-side Tauranga Boys' College 1-0 at home, courtesy of a Luke Wakely goal.

In the WaiBOP Championship, Claudelands Rovers extended their lead at the top of the table after beating Tauranga Old Blues reserves 3-1 away from home.

Meanwhile, second-placed Cambridge reserves recorded their first loss of the season. Te Puke handed Cambridge a 2-0 defeat and ended the final unbeaten run in either division. In doing so, Te Puke moved into the top four and kept themselves in the hunt for promotion in what is shaping up to be an exciting race to the end of the season.

Free-scoring Kawerau Sports are also well in the race for one of the two premiership spots come the end of the season. Their 7-0 hiding of Te Awamutu at Te Awamutu means they have now scored 36 goals in seven league games.

Cameron Wills and Scott Mitchell both scored twice and were joined on the scoresheet by Michael Sims, Cameron Mitchell and Simon Storey.