Narrabri FC’s two teams, Narrabri Sporties FC and Narrabri Elevens FC, will go head-to-head in Saturday’s Namoi Soccer League grand final.
The match is set to create history in more ways than one.
Not only will it be the first time the two local rivals have met in a grand final, but it is their first finals match playing against one another.
More significantly, the team which wins the match will claim the trophy for the first time.
The competition was reformed in 2017 after Narrabri, Wee Waa and Moree sides left the Northern Inland Premier League competition to play in a more local environment.
In all four seasons since then, Sporties FC, formerly referred to as Narrabri FC, has won the minor premiership and then won the major semi-final to earn grand final hosting rights.
But in the past three deciders it has lost by a one-goal margin on all three occasions. This season it enters the match determined to finally get the job done in the big dance.
At the other end of the field, Narrabri Elevens FC, formerly referred to as Crossroads Elevens FC, qualified for the preliminary final for the second time in 2020 after it got there and lost against Moree in 2017.
It downed Wee Waa 1-0 in that qualifying match this year to qualify for its first decider.
If the Elevens win on Saturday not only will they win their first grand final, but it would also be their first Narrabri derby win.
In four years, the two Narrabri sides have gone head-to-head 14 times and Sporties FC have won on all occasions by a combined 67 goals to five. Sporties FC kept the Elevens scoreless in 11 of those games.
Both teams enter the 2020 decider in form.
This year Sporties FC won 10 of its 12 games, was held to one draw and lost once as it totalled 31 of a possible 36 points to claim the minor premiership. It scored 60 goals and conceded 20 during another memorable season.
The Elevens won six games and lost its other six this season. They scored 28 goals and conceded 48. However they have improved significantly throughout the season.
In their first seven games they won just twice and were outscored 40 goals to nine. Since then Elevens FC has registered five wins in six matches, scoring 20 goals while conceding just eight times.
Elevens FC is expected to be at full strength for Saturday’s decider, while Sporties FC’s Nathan Trindall (ankle), Daniel Hall (ankle) and Jess O’Neil (hamstring) are all in doubt.
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Hello Blake.
My name is Phillip Morgan and I am doing the history of North West/New England soccer/football. I have been researching since January 2017 and have a lot of information but would like more on Narrabri soccer/football. Generally it is hard to find information as most people did not keep newspaper articles but may have team photos. I would like to post a photo of a 1962 Narrabri team in you paper as to find out if there are any people out there with information or photos of Narrabri soccer/football. The first game that Narrabri played was against Gunnedah Thistle on 28.07.1957 at Wolseley Park Gunnedah. I have researched ”Trove” and have no soccer/football recorded games before that date. The period I mainly require is the years 1957 to 2000. It may be hard to get information from the early years as people move on any sadly they may not be with us now. It is with much appreciation and my excitement that you install this photo in your newspaper with a story and trust we can find people with information.
it is great to see soccer in your newspaper.
If you require any information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours truly Phillip Morgan.
Phone. 0417075210.m.
Email. [email protected]
it is amazing what information