Soccer: Ngongotaha extended to beat gutsy United

Ngongotaha left Neil Hunt Park happy with their 4-2 win in the local WaiBop derby against Rotorua United.

However, they were unaware AFC Fury had beaten Tauranga Old Blues which meant they were outright leaders in the WaiBop Federation league, while Taupo had to hand over the Challenge Shield after losing 3-1 to Cambridge.

The biggest crowd of the season was on the sidelines to watch the Ngongotaha-Rotorua clash. On paper it should have been an easy win for the Villagers and when Mitchell Miller scored in the fourth minute it looked as though it could be a stroll in the park for the visitors.

But United were not about to lie down and after hitting the post with the keeper beaten, Gary Hamilton-Irvine scored from an angled shot to make it 1-1.

Stand-in keeper Steve Whittaker made a good reflex save to deny Ngongotaha but Josh O'Sullivan was on hand to stab the ball home after a goal mouth scramble. So Ngongotaha took a 2-1 lead to the break but United would have taken confidence from the way they competed.

That confidence was dented shortly after the restart when Harlem Simiona made it 3-1.

Rotorua United continued to show grit and after having a goal disallowed Jordan McKay rifled a good free kick into the net. At only 2-3 down the United supporters had hopes of creating an upset but Simiona effectively killed off the game with his second goal to make it 4-2. Even though United were beaten, coach Shaun McIlwaine would have taken some solace from a gutsy performance.

To the frustration of coach Ben Williams the topsy-turvy season continued for Taupo.

Cambridge took advantage of a defensive lapse to score first and then doubled their lead.

After Alan Lamb scored from a free kick it was 2-1 at the break and although Taupo put in an improved performance, Cambridge scored again to take three points and the Challenge Shield.

AFC Fury beat competition leaders Tauranga Old Blues 3-2 in a tight top-of-the-table clash, while Whakatane Town easily beat cellar dwellers Otumoetai, 7-3 to move into fourth place.

In other games, Tauranga City beat Melville United 4-2 and Waikato Unicol overcame Matamata Swifts 3-2.

In division two, Rotorua United suffered what is thought to be a record loss when they went down 16-0 to Tauranga Boys' College, HRFC beat Old Blues 7-3, Papamoa continued their good run with a 4-3 win over Tauranga City while West Hamilton upset Tokoroa 2-1.