Saturday’s match of the round in The Soccer Shop WaiBOP Premiership saw Waikato Unicol defeat Otumoetai 2-0 to move a point clear at the top of the table.

Unicol, under head coach Dan Goodwin, have threatened for several years to win a maiden Premiership crown and look in good shape for another tilt at the title. They know where the back of the net is and have yet to concede a goal so far this season. Could it finally be their year?

The match against Otumoetai was a tight, rugged encounter that saw eight yellow cards shown, including two to the visitors’ Nicholas Barnes which forced them to play the final half hour with ten men. Captain, Thomas Wright, scored the vital first goal, just before the half hour mark, then Krishaant Singh broke Otumoetai’s stubborn resistance with two minutes left.

After romping through their opening two matches, this was Unicol’s first proper test and they passed with flying colours.

Flying Mullet Papamoa were indebted to Andrew Cooper for a late equaliser that ensured the previous leaders not only avoided a shock defeat to neighbours, Safer Team Te Puke United, but also retained the Federation Challenge Shield in what was the first defence. Papamoa took almost all the first half to break down Te Puke’s resistance, with player/coach Colm Kenny grabbing the opener right on half time. From there, Kenny would have expected his side to run away with it against a side that had lost their first two games, but Te Puke wasn’t having any of it.

Kyne Ritson found the equaliser for the visitors just three minutes into the second half and when substitute Atsuhito Kageyama scored only moments after coming on the boilover looked on. Cooper’s goal saved Papamoa’s blushes, and the shield, but they couldn’t find a late winner and instead lost Mathew De Bono in the final minute to his second yellow card of the game.

The other results saw the middle of the table tighten up quite remarkably. Taupo, Melville United and Tauranga Blue Rovers recorded their first wins of the season to all move on to four points.

Champions Taupo scored two second half goals, one at each end of the 45 minutes, through captain Robbie Williams and star striker Jordan Lamb to win 2-0 at Ngaruawahia United and in turn hand the Green Machine their first defeat of 2019. Ngaruawahia sit on four points as well, along with Comag Matamata Swifts whose match against Tauranga Boys’ College was postponed.

Melville United was always ahead in their match at neighbours, West Hamilton. Goals from David Brennan and Josh Nooijen inside the first fifteen minutes game them a decent head start, before Tim Moynahan halved the deficit soon after. Sean Rogers’ goal ten minutes after the break was all the insurance Melville needed and they finished 3-1 winners.

After a goalless first half, Blue Rovers then lost Marcus Bathan to a red card six minutes after the restart and may have been fearing the worst against Gisler Architects Te Awamutu. But Joshua Ryan saw red for Te Awamutu just after the hour mark, only moments after Rovers had taken the lead via Karl Bryant, and that was the cue for a Rovers rampage. Two further goals two minutes apart, from Olly Tilley and Joaquin Reynoso, broke the game wide open. Blerim Budlla’s late goal for the visitors was mere consolation in a 3-1 victory for Rovers.

Favourites Claudelands Rovers and Tauranga City scored second consecutive resounding victories in The Soccer Shop WaiBOP W-League to be two of three sides on six points after two games. Joining them on top are Papamoa FC, who also racked up the goals this weekend.

Natalie Dixon’s hat trick helped Claudelands score five goals in just over half an hour against their visitors, Otumoetai, to run out 7-2 victors. Stacey Palmer and Stella Neems joined in the goal scoring fun to help end the match as a contest nice and early. Further goals in the final fifteen minutes, from Rachel Porteous and Emily Woollaston, helped boost Rovers’ goal difference. Liv Donovan-Grammer’s first goal actually drew the visitors briefly level and she added a second just after the break in a solid personal effort.

Tauranga was made to work hard for their 4-0 win over Melville United. Makenzie Haberfield’s goal just after the half hour was their sole first half bright spot, and it took them until the hour mark before they managed to double their lead thanks to Nicola Hingston. Annaliese Heuvel increased the margin inside the final quarter hour before Talia Entwisle completed the scoring in injury time to give Tauranga a comfortable looking victory from a game in which Melville emerged with much credit.

Monique Lowry’s first half hat trick, supplemented by another Briana Osbourne goal, saw Papamoa flying by half time in their opening home game of the season, against Whakatane Town. Osbourne’s second before the hour mark kept them moving, before Claire McCorkindale’s late goal completed a 6-0 rout for the hosts.

Hamilton Wanderers picked up their first three points of the season after a 5-1 win at Tauranga Blue Rovers. Lucy Mason’s brace was complemented by further goals from Lucy Clouston, Kate Bradley and Anina Peresson.

Bulk Lines Otorohanga dropped their first points of the season and now sit in a three way tie on seven points at the top of The Soccer Shop WaiBOP Championship. Otorohanga was held to a 1-1 draw at Claudelands Rovers with Joe Cammock’s goal, along with Frank Lomas’ reply for Rovers, coming in the first half.

Goals from Brad Frew, Taylor Long and Aaron Kelly fired Taupo’s reserves to a 3-2 in at Hamilton Wanderers and moved them level with Otorohanga, while Kieran Peyton’s double did the same job for Waikato Unicol’s Reserves after their 2-0 victory over Otumoetai’s Reserves.

Tauranga City and Tokoroa both picked up their first wins of 2019. City won 4-2 at Blue Rovers Reserves, while Tokoroa scored the game’s solitary goal in a 1-0 win at Waharoa Transport Matamata Reserves.

Match details HERE.