Above: Northern NSW Regional League Northern Inland Division Two winners Narrabri – back, manager Angela Young, coach Angie Knox, Molly Welsh, Kira Goodhew, Katarnie Toomey, Sarah Cameron, Emma Young, assistant coach Janelle Young, front, Alex Christakos, Lizz Whiteley, Lauren Smart and Emma Betts.

The Narrabri Netball Association’s opens representative team returned home grand final winners on Sunday, victorious in the Northern NSW Regional League Northern Inland Division Two decider.

Narrabri was forced to do it the hard way in the finals series played at the Tamworth Sports Dome.

Following the matches that were played in Narrabri on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29, Narrabri was ranked first in division two, which meant that it qualified for the major semi-final on Sunday where the winner would progress straight through to the grand final.

Narrabri took on second-placed Moree in that match and was downed 25-24 in a nailbiting contest.

To qualify for the grand final Narrabri was forced to win a preliminary final against Tamworth which defeated Glen Innes in the minor semi-final earlier in the day.

Narrabri won that match comfortably 34-27.

The Narrabri ladies then challenged Moree in the grand final and put their major semi-final loss behind them, winning the match 19-17.

Narrabri established a 5-2 lead at quarter time, but an inspired second quarter by Moree saw the scores level 10-10 at the main break.

In the third term Moree outscored Narrabri 5-4 to take a 15-14 lead into three-quarter-time.

But just as Narrabri did in the first quarter it outscored Moree 5-2 in the last to secure a two-point victory.

Team coach Angie Knox was ecstatic with the team’s grand final performance and the result.

“It was a great team effort, they played so great, better than great they were just amazing,” Knox told The Courier.

“It was a hard game.

“The girls listened to what they were told and they played steady, calm netball.

“It was a physical game but they held their own and fought it out until the end.”

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