A Luke Barker hat-trick spearheaded a 5-3 win by Ngongotaha at West Hamilton United in the latest round of WaiBOP Premiership fixtures.
Barker scored in the 22nd, 40th and 50th minutes to help his side fight back from a 2-1 deficit at United’s Weka St ground.
Main photo: Luke Barker … a prolific scorer for Ngongotaha. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Meanwhile, champions-elect Waikato Unicol kept their season-long unbeaten record but only after a tight battle with third-placed Taupo.
Unicol took a 2-0 lead through a Reuben Henderson brace, an advantage they took into half-time.
However, Taupo came back with a spirited second half in which they scored through Joseph O’Donoghue and Dylan Foster, setting up a cagey last half hour.
In the competition’s other game, Te Awamutu and Papamoa played out a 3-2 win to the home side with all the goals coming in the first half.
WaiBOP Premiership
Games played Saturday August 20, 2022
Taupo 2 (Joseph O’Donoghue 47′, Dylan Foster 54′)
Waikato Unicol 2 (Reuben Henderson 28′, 37′)
West Hamilton United 3 (Khalid Omar 6′, 13′, Liban Mire 65′)
Ngongotaha 5 (Harlem Simiona 11′, Luke Barker 22′, 40′, 50′, Cailyn Trask 76′)
Te Awamutu 3 (own goal 6′, Nicolas King-McRae 26′, Michael Roberts 43′)
Papamoa 2 (Connor Irvine 35′, Joshua Vialoux 45′)
WaiBOP Championship
Games played Saturday August 20, 2022
Tauranga City 5 (Travis Brown 8′, Julien Hoffman 40′, Julian Kohlhaas 43′, Blake Reinecke 50′, Sam Arthurs 68′)
Matamata Swifts 0
Final table
WaiBOP W-League
Games to be played Sunday August 21, 2022
Claudelands Rovers 4 (Stella Neems 2′, Rhiannon Jones 26′, 90+2′, Abbie Watson 39′)
Waikato Unicol 1 (Chantal Williams 79′)
Otumoetai United 4 (scorers not available)
Otumoetai 2 (scorers not available)
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