Top three stretch clear

Photo: Cameron Avery/SunLive.

The Soccer Shop WaiBOP Premiership's top three, Flying Mullet Papamoa, Otumoetai and ninetyblack Taupo, all won on Saturday to keep the race for the title close while placing a gap to the rest that is unlikely to be recovered.

Papamoa sit on 41 points after their 4-0 home victory over lowly Comag Matamata Swifts. Consistency and clean sheets have been key for Papamoa and, after cruising into a three goal half time lead against the goal shy Swifts, their run was never under threat.

The usual suspects were on the score sheet for Papamoa, as Colm Kenny hit a brace, and was joined by Liam Molloy and Andrew Cooper.

Otumoetai eased past Melville United 2-0 thanks to a goal in each half from Juan Pablo Rosende and Ryan Peddle. After having last week off, Otumoetai now has a game in hand over Papamoa but sit four points off the pace. This coming Saturday's match between the two sides, at Otumoetai's Fergusson Park, will go a long way to determining the destination of the 2019 Premiership title.

Taupo has climbed back into the race after a blip in form that threatened to derail their title defence. Their 5-1 win at Gisler Architects Te Awamutu was largely constructed during the first half thanks to goals from Jordan Lamb, Thomas King and Joe O'Donoghue.

Te Awamutu gained a brief respite ten minutes into the second half after Joel Roil had pulled a goal back, but the visitors hammered home their advantage through O'Donoghue's second and a late Matthew Lewis goal.

Waikato Unicol's title hopes are all but over after they were defeated 3-2 at Ngaruawahia United. After a goalless first half, Unicol scored twice in six minutes right after the hour mark through Reuben Henderson and Kieran Payton to set themselves up for victory. But they couldn't complete the job against a resurgent Green Machine who scored three times in the final ten minutes to snatch victory away from their visitors.

Khalid Omar grabbed the first, before Liban Mire equalised with four minutes remaining. With all the momentum, Ngaruawahia then found a match winner when Abdul Suleiman fired home as time clicked away.

Ngaruawahia's ten points in four games have them well on course for survival, while Unicol are now twelve points off top spot after two defeats on the spin.

Tauranga Blue Rovers moved to within three points of Unicol after a 3-2 home win over bottom side, Safer Team Te Puke United. Alex Elliott's double in the final ten minutes of the first half put Rovers seemingly on course for victory, but Matthew Morison halved the deficit five minutes after the break.

Santiago Curi's goal two minutes from the end of normal time looked to have secured a valuable point for Te Puke, but there was a final twist when Olly Tilley stuck the winner deep into added time.

The other match, between West Hamilton United and Tauranga Boys' College, ended all square at 1-1. The Hamiltonians led through Tim Moynahan's goal right on half time, before Jordy Toy equalised with just over ten minutes remaining.

Claudelands Rovers took advantage of Tauranga City's bye to move to the top of The Soccer Shop WaiBOP W-League standings on Sunday. At Galloway Park, Rovers overcame a Whakatane Town side that had beaten them earlier in the season. Doubles from Leanna Ryan and Stacey Palmer gave the hosts a comfortable 4-1 margin.

In a quite remarkable scoreline, Tilemax Papamoa defeated Hamilton Wanderers 10-5 at Porritt Stadium to keep pace with the top two. Not unexpectedly, the game contained three hat tricks, as Briana Osbourne struck four times for the visitors, while team mate, Monique Lowry, battled her for the match ball. Adi-Grace Mooar hit three for the hosts.

Melville United beat Otumoetai 3-0 at home to move within three points of the top four. Emma Sizer and Katie Marshall had given Melville a comfortable advantage at the break, before Brianna Uivel's second half goal rounded out the scoring.

Hamilton Wanderers have withdrawn from the last part of the season as the W-League as it heads into a final, six team, third round.

The Soccer Shop WaiBOP Championship's top two both won again to extend their advantage at the top of the table. Bulk Lines Otorohanga's 5-0 home win over fourth-placed Otumoetai reserves moved them to 37 points, while Claudelands Rovers are tucked in a point behind on 36 after their 2-0 win over Tokoroa.

Tauranga City, Cambridge and Flying Mullet Papamoa reserves were the Championship's other victors, defeating Taupo's reserves, Tauranga Blue Rovers' reserves and Waharoa Transport Matamata reserves respectively. The other match, between third-placed Waikato Unicol reserves and second-bottom Hamilton Wanderers ended 1-1.

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