Football: Rotorua close in on promotion

Rotorua United have taken a giant leap towards promotion with a 5-2 win over Katikati.

Katikati went into the match on Saturday with a record of 14 wins from 14 games. They were only two wins away from a rare perfect season.

But United had their own plans at Neil Hunt Park in Rotorua.

They turned on a fine display of football when it mattered to stay one point ahead of Papamoa in the Waibop Federation Two league.

Katikati have already won the league but United are in second place, which is good enough to earn them promotion into the Federation One competition next season. With only two games left to play, United will face West Hamilton, one of the lower ranked sides, home and away.

If United win the last two fixtures they are guaranteed promotion. United's goals were scored by strikers Brad Hill and Shadley Petersen, captain Lawrie Scott, Sam Robinson and Harawira Smith.

Meanwhile, Ngongotaha were beaten by Tauranga City 2-0 on Saturday.

Ngongotaha remain in fifth spot on the Federation One ladder. AFC Fury (Tauranga) are closing in on the Federation One title after beating Matamata 2-0 at the weekend.

Results

Waikato Bay of Plenty Football results on Saturday:
Federation One: Melville 1 Otumoetai 1, Matamata 0
AFC Fury 2, Tauranga Boys' College 0 Cambridge 3,
Hukanui Rototuna 1 Tauranga Old Blues 3, Ngongotaha
0 Tauranga City United 2, Waikato Unicol 1 Taupo 1.

Federation Two: Tauranga City 5 Cambridge 0,
Papamoa 3 West Hamilton 0, Rotorua United 5 Katikati
2, Te Awamutu 2 Ngongotaha 2.