Narrabri FC lines up for first trial game of the year against Gunnedah FC

Local soccer side Narrabri FC played its first trial game of the year on Sunday afternoon when it took on Gunnedah FC at Gately Field.

The visiting side returned home with a 4-1 win under its belt following a hard-fought match.

The two clubs played their first trial match of the year in extremely hot conditions on a heavy track following last week’s rain.

The match was played across four 23-minute quarters and a pre-match agreement between the teams meant that they could only make substitutions during the breaks.

Narrabri FC trailed 1-0 at half-time then went behind 2-0 early in the second stanza. With seven minutes to go, 15-year-old Zac Stait scored a goal in his Narrabri FC debut as the home side made the score 2-1. However, Gunnedah FC scored two runaway goals in the final five minutes to make the final score 4-1.

Narrabri junior Stait and newcomers to town Callum Mcphee and Adam Pryor all impressed in their first games for the club.

Mcphee was a standout in the centre of the park for the Narrabri team and is set to form a dangerous partnership with Narrabri FC’s key man Cooper Brayshaw in 2021.

Pryor provided a calm head at the back and looks set to strengthen a backline which has been a rock for Narrabri FC in recent years, and Stait was threatening while playing in several different midfield and attacking roles.

Narrabri FC coach Neil Brayshaw told The Courier that signs were positive as the 2021 season approaches.

Brayshaw also said that numbers were strong this year, with 15 players lacing up the boots for the trial on Sunday and two regulars unavailable.

Jake Brayshaw. Jake Brayshaw.

Adam Pryor. Adam Pryor.

Jason Foxe. Jason Foxe.

Brenton Cochrane. Brenton Cochrane.

Cooper Brayshaw. Cooper Brayshaw.

Ben Stride. Ben Stride.

Rhys Hayne. Rhys Hayne.

Zac Stait. Zac Stait.

Zaac Brayshaw. Zaac Brayshaw.

Izaac Jeffries. Izaac Jeffries.

Colby Williams. Colby Williams.

Callum Mcphee. Callum Mcphee.

At the first break in Sunday’s trial game, the score remained 0-0 with neither side able to convert their chances in the opening 23 minutes.

It took Gunnedah just four-and-a-half minutes to find the back of the net in the second term when an unmarked Tyler Mills headed the visitors into the lead after getting onto the end of a curling Mitch Harding corner from the right edge.

Gunnedah took the 1-0 lead into half-time, then doubled its advantage eight-and-a-half minutes into the second stanza. Nathan Hobart created the chance by pressuring the Narrabri FC defence. He intercepted a pass from opposition goalkeeper Zaac Brayshaw and fired a shot from outside the 18-yard-box into the bottom left corner.

Narrabri FC created an abundance of chances throughout the match, but was only able to convert once with just seven minutes left to play when Stait scored on debut for the club with a chip from about 25-metres out.

That made the score 2-1, then Eli Rankmore netted twice in the final five minutes to earn his side a comfortable victory.

The two sides are now looking forward to a return fixture to be played in Gunnedah in the coming weeks, though a date for that match has not yet been confirmed.