Narrabri FC scores a three-round clean sweep in both grades

Narrabri FC completed a clean sweep of the competition with a 6-0 win away from home against Moree Services FC on Saturday in round three of the 2021 Namoi Soccer League campaign.

The defending champions have now played all three of its opponents once and are yet to concede a goal following three wins and as many clean sheets.

The visiting side led 5-0 at the break against Moree on Saturday, with Colby Williams and Zac Stait firing home either side of a Jake Brayshaw first half hat-trick.

Narrabri FC skipper Cooper Brayshaw assisted two of those goals and was involved in another as he dominated Moree’s defence in the first half. He then scored the only goal in the second stanza as his side ran away with a 6-0 victory.

Narrabri FC’s first grade coach Neil Brayshaw told The Courier he was impressed with the performance after his men were nowhere near their best during the first two games.

“We got back to the way I want us to be playing the game,” Brayshaw said.

“It was a good passing game from us and there was great communication out there. We really played like we’ve been training.

“It was a great game.

“The way we finished was what I was most pleased with. On the end of some great passing came some great finishing.

“Four different blokes scored but it was all off the back of great teamwork.

“We also defended really well.

“Up 5-0 at half-time we spoke about keeping a clean sheet, that was our goal.

“We were able to do that which was a credit to the team. That’s three weeks in a row we haven’t conceded a goal and I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.”

Earlier in the day on Saturday, Narrabri FC’s reserve grade side also kept its third consecutive clean sheet when it won its third game of the season.

The score was locked at 0-0 until the 58th minute of the 60-minute match when Ben Stride made a run into the box after beating several defenders before passing to Travis Ryan who found the back of the net for his first goal for the club.

In the main game, Williams opened the scoring in the 14th minute when he pounced at the back stick to fire a Cooper Brayshaw cross into the back of the net from close range.

The score had become 3-0 just five minutes later after Jake Brayshaw netted twice in 45 seconds.

His first came off the back of his own hard work after he chased down a Moree backpass and dispossessed the goalkeeper before scoring into an empty net, then less than a minute later he ran onto a cross from his brother Cooper, which was curled in from the right, and scored at the back stick.

Jake then completed an impressive first half hat-trick with 14 minutes left to play in the first half when he found himself one-on-one with the Moree goalkeeper and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.

Narrabri FC’s youngest player then got on the scoresheet when he scored his second Namoi Soccer League goal. That was Stait, who fired a loose ball into the back of the net after the Moree keeper fumbled a Cooper Brayshaw shot and was left stranded on the ground.

The final goal of the game was scored midway through the second stanza when Brayshaw made a bursting run up-field and was picked out by a Blake Jarrett through ball. The Narrabri FC captain found himself one-on-one with the Moree goalkeeper and made no mistake as he found the bottom right corner.

Narrabri FC’s two sides both sit at the top of their respective ladders with a maximum nine points following the first three rounds. They both travel to Wee Waa this weekend where they will challenge Wee Waa United FC at Cook Oval.

Wee Waa scored its first double of the season in round three when its first and reserve grade sides were both victorious at Hogan Oval against Elevens FC.

The visitors won 2-1 in the reserve grade fixture before winning the main game 4-1.

A Nathan Hamblin hat-trick inspired the club’s first grade team to its second consecutive win while teammate Mark Rottger also found the back of the net.

Elevens FC’s goal was scored by Bailey Campbell.

The Elevens will look to bounce back in both grades this Saturday when they host Moree at Hogan Oval in round four.