Miller penalty gives Ngongotaha hard fought win

CELEBRATION TIME: Mitchell Miller, centre, is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring for his side. PHOTO/FILE

A Mitchell Miller penalty was the decisive difference, with the spot kick helping give unbeaten Ngongotaha AFC a hard fought win.

In a scrappy battle, which was switched to the Villagers ground on Saturday after Fergusson Park was closed, Ngongotaha beat Otumoetai FC 1-0, in the WaiBOP Premiership.

The top of the table team scored the only goal of the game early on in the match and had another Miller goal disallowed in the second half.

Ngongotaha coach Shane Davis was happy to take all three points but admitted he thought it was a "controversial" penalty awarded to his team.

"Of course I'm pleased to get the win, it's very important because it's still tight behind us," he said.

"But I have to be honest it was a very suspect penalty. I didn't really see what they did wrong.

"That's the way football goes sometimes and it sort of evened out with a clear goal not given to us in the second half.

"Sometimes you just have to grind out results and this match was a clear example of that."

The Villagers took the lead from the boot of Miller from the penalty spot three minutes into the game, after midfielder Luke Barker was judged to have been brought down in the box.

"I never watch when we get penalties now, because they always used to miss when I did," admitted Davis.

"So I definitely couldn't watch Mitchell and it did the trick."

The result gave Ngongotaha their 14th win of the season and leaves them on 43 points at the top of the table - with a six point cushion over second placed Cambridge FC, with a game in hand.

Despite the Villagers current position Davis said he is wary of their last run in of games which includes tough away fixtures against Cambridge and third placed Matamata Swifts.

"In a way we need to bounce back next week even though we got a win because no one was that happy with the result," Davis said.

"The last part of the season is going to be very tough so we can't afford to drop any points.

"I wouldn't say I'm worried but the real tests are coming and anything could happen between now and our last game."

Meanwhile across town Rotorua United suffered back-to-back losses after being beaten 4-1 by Matamata Swifts.

Manager Ian Walker said a lack of clinical finishing and poor defence cost them dearly.

"We had several clear cut chances but didn't find the net. This really came back to bite us," he said.

"Also our defence didn't shut the attacks down earlier enough which gave them too much time and space."

Results

WaiBOP Premiership:

Ngongotaha AFC 1 Otumoetai FC First Credit Union 0

Rotorua United 1 Matamata Swifts Prem 4

Melville United Prem 0 SGS Papamoa Premiership 2

Tauranga Boys' College 1st XI 2 Cambridge FC Prem 5

Old Blues Prem 2 Tauranga City Premiership 0

Katikati FC Ambria Premiership Waikato Unicol AFC Prem

(postponed)

WaiBOP Championship:

Otumoetai FC Mens 1 Ngongotaha Champ 0

Hamilton Wanderers Champ 0 Matamata Swifts Reserve 4

Whakatane Town Champ 1 West Hamilton Champ 5

Tokoroa AFC Champ 5 Waikato Unicol AFC Reserves 1

Te Awamutu Edmond Judd Champ 5 Cambridge FC Champ 1

Old Blues Champ Taupo AFC Champ (postponed)

WaiBOP Premiership points (top 6)

Ngongotaha AFC 43

Cambridge FC 37

Matamata Swifts 37

Otumoetai FC 31

Melville United 26

Rotorua United 25