Football: Weekend wrap

Ngongotaha's Harlem Simiona.

THE WaiBOP Premiership and WaiBOP Championship returned at the weekend after the previous round had been hit heavily by the ASB Chatham Cup.

Premiership leaders and title favourites Cambridge maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 win at Rotorua United on Saturday.

The game was scoreless at the break at Neil Hunt Park, but Cambridge clinched victory thanks to second-half strikes from Kieran Hill and Patrick Woodlock.

The win was Cambridge's fourth in succession and sixth in seven games, and saw them continue to set the standard ahead of the chasing pack.

That pack, interestingly, is led by promoted SGS Papamoa, who won their third game in a row with a 3-2 victory at Katikati.

Papamoa now face games against Ngongotaha, Cambridge and Unicol, three heavyweights in the league, which will be true tests of their title credentials.

In other games, Ngongotaha dispatched Tauranga Old Blues 4-1 at Stembridge Rd thanks to doubles from Luke Barker and Josh O'Sullivan.

Ngongotaha are now five points behind Cambridge with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Unicol comfortably dealt with visitors Tauranga City United.

Unicol's 3-0 victory maintained their record as the only unbeaten team left in the Premiership, but the margin should have been greater. Goals from Lee Warin, Max Hall and Nick Broome secured victory.

Otumoetai backed up from their near miss last week in the ASB Chatham Cup with a 5-1 win at Tauranga Boys' College.

Melville United and Waikato Stud Matamata Swifts fought out a goalless draw at Gower Park to each ensure a top-six spot for another week.

In the WaiBOP Championship, the shock of the day came at Galloway Park where leaders Claudelands Rovers had their first loss, going down 1-0 to second-placed Cambridge reserves.

Claudelands have looked the league's class act but the determined visitors snatched a big win.

- Results on Saturday:

Premiership: Melville United 0 Matamata 0, Katikati 2 Papamoa 3, Rotorua United 0 Cambridge 2, Tauranga Boys' College 1 Otumoetai 5, Ngongotaha 4 Tauranga Old Blues 1, Waikato Unicol 3 Tauranga City United 0.

Championship: Ngongotaha 1 West Hamilton 6, Claudelands 0 Cambridge 1, Whakatane Town 0 Matamata 2, Tokoroa 1 Te Awamutu 2, Tauranga Old Blues 0 Kawerau Sports 7, Te Puke bye.

-Premiership table: Cambridge 18 points (7 games), Papamoa 15 (8), Ngongotaha 13 (6), Melville 11 (6), Waikato Unicol 10 (4), Matamata Swifts 9 (6), Tauranga Old Blues 9 (7), Katikati 9 (7), Otumoetai 7 (6), Tauranga City 4 (7), Rotorua United 3 (6), Tauranga Boys' College 3 (8).