Taupo take inside running in WaiBOP title chase

Papamoa’s title chances took a hit with a loss to Melville at Gower Park. Photo: Bob Ricketts

Defeats for Papamoa and Tauranga Boys College have let Taupo take the ascendency in the Loaded WaiBOP premiership as the region's top football league reaches its climax.

The Lakesiders have a two point lead over Boys College with Papamoa a point further back. The Tauranga students, who've spent a healthy number of weeks at the top of the pile over the season, now look to be battling for a lower podium finish having played three more matches than the three teams around them.

Fourth-placed Waikato Unicol, still with title hopes of their own, all but finished Tauranga Boys' season with a 2-1 win at Southey Field. Goals to Tom Wright and Reuben Henderson helped secure the narrow win for an enterprising Unicol side that may yet end up cursing several inexplicable stumbles during the season for their second consecutive failure to mount a sustained title challenge.

Papamoa was level at half time in their match at fifth placed Melville United, but a second half red card to Dave Molloy helped the Hamiltonians lift three vital points out of their visitor's pockets. Sok Ven, Hamish Utteridge and Josh Nooijen did the goal scoring damage for Melville who, even though they're well out of title contention, were obviously keen to have a say in the Premiership trophy's ultimate summer destination.

Taupo had what looked like a relatively straightforward task - a local derby at second-bottom Mercury Tokoroa, and they duly took a 3-1 victory at Strathmore Park to keep their good run going. Anything other than a comfortable Taupo win would have been a major shock and serial scorer Fin Smith's hat trick ensured that wouldn't happen.

Otumoetai revived their late season surge as they beat local rivals Tauranga Blue Rovers 4-1 at Pemberton Park. Nicholas Barnes struck twice for the greens, and was joined on the score sheet by Benjamin Jackson and Sam Flatt. Thomas Crane scored the game's only second half goal, a consolation one for Rovers.

Mid-table sides Matamata Swifts and Te Awamutu both also picked up wins to remove any faint, lingering worries of relegation. Goals from Jamie Baxter, Brayden Lissington, Chris Walker and Mike Smith gave the Swifts a closer than expected 4-2 win over pointless Hamilton Wanderers, while a Steffan Foulkes second half goal was the difference for Te Awamutu as they snuck past West Hamilton 1-0 at home.

The WaiBOP Championship's last match of the season ended in anti-climax as Cambridge defaulted their final home game against champions Ngaruawahia to ensure they narrowly avoided the wooden spoon.

Only one match was played on Sunday as the WaiBOP Women's Premier League nears its conclusion. Tokoroa and Papamoa fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw in a result that ensured Tokoroa finished third in the league. Tauranga City Bay SportsMed were crowned champions last weekend.

Tauranga Boys face a challenging road trip to face Taupo this Saturday, and will start underdogs to the new league leaders. Despite their title chances declining they remain more than capable of an upset so Taupo will not take them lightly.

Papamoa will fancy their chances of replacing Taupo at the summit should they happen to slip up against Boys College as they meet last-but-one Tokoroa at Gordon Spratt Reserve.

Waikato Unicol will also be looking to keep their distant title chances alive as they take on cellar-dwellers Hamilton Wanderers.

Loaded WaiBOP Premiership results:

Tauranga Blue Rovers 1-4 Otumoetai (ht: 0-4)

TBR: Thomas Crane.

OTU: Nicholas Barnes 2, Benjamin Jackson, Sam Flatt.

Te Awamutu 1-0 West Hamilton United (ht: 0-0)

TAW: Steffan Foulkes.

WHM: none.

Hamilton Wanderers 2-4 Comag Matamata Swifts (ht: 1-2)

WAN: unknown

MAT: Jamie Baxter, Brayden Lissington, Chris Walker, Mike Smith.

Tauranga Boys' College 1-2 Waikato Unicol (ht: 1-1)

TBC: Ryan Peddle.

UNI: Tom Wright, Reuben Henderson.

Mercury Tokoroa 1-3 Taupo (ht: 0-1)

TOK: Jevan Eady.

TAU: Fin Smith 3.

Melville United 3-1 Flying Mullet Papamoa (ht: 1-1)

MEL: Sok Ven, Hamish Utteridge, Josh Nooijen.

PAP: unknown

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.