Narrabri FC secures fifth consecutive Namoi Soccer League minor premiership

Narrabri FC has been crowned Namoi Soccer League minor premiers for a fifth consecutive season after the side created an unassailable lead at the top of the first grade ladder on Thursday in a rescheduled round 10 match.

The ladder leaders welcomed Wee Waa United to Hogan Oval and required only a single point to secure a first-place finish. They managed to earn all three on offer in style after outscoring the visitors 5-0.

They then backed that up with another clean sheet victory on Saturday when they downed Moree Services FC 3-0 at Hogan Oval in round 12.

The defending champions have now won all 12 of their games in 2021 to accumulate a maximum 36 points.

Second-placed Wee Waa currently has 15 points and with just four games remaining cannot catch the ladder leaders.

Wrapping up the minor premiership has earned Narrabri FC the right to host the 2021 Namoi Soccer League grand final on Saturday, August 28.

Narrabri FC coach Neil Brayshaw told The Courier that he was proud of his side but stressed the focus would be on each of the next three games before the club would start thinking about the grand final.

At Hogan Oval last Thursday, Blake Jarrett opened the scoring in the 29th minute to give Narrabri FC a 1-0 lead against Wee Waa United after running onto a Colby Williams cross from the right wing and finding the bottom left corner with a shot from just inside the 18-yard box.

Cooper Brayshaw gave the hosts a 2-0 lead five minutes later when he drove the ball into the back of the net from just inside the box after he ran onto a cross which was cut back from the goal line on the left edge by his brother Jake Brayshaw.

Narrabri FC went into the half-time break with that 2-0 lead which became 4-0 after 54 minutes following goals to Jake Brayshaw and Williams early in the second stanza.

Brayshaw drove a powerful shot into the top left corner after charging onto a Jarrett through ball and into the box, then Williams guided a Jess O’Neil cross into the bottom left corner.

The goal of the game and potentially the entire season was scored by Cooper Brayshaw with four minutes left to play. The central midfielder picked up possession about 30 metres out from goal, spotted Wee Waa goalkeeper Steve Phelps off his line, took a touch forward to compose himself and struck a powerful dipping shot over the keeper and just under the crossbar into the back of the net to make the final score 5-0.

On Saturday, Narrabri FC and Moree Services FC went into the break locked nil-all at Hogan Oval.

The hosts put an ordinary first half behind them and scored within 60 seconds of play resuming in the second half when Jarrett ran onto a Cooper Brayshaw cross and found the bottom right corner from just inside the box.

The striker scored his second 15 minutes later with a header from close range after the Moree goalkeeper fumbled a Cooper Brayshaw shot.

Those two then combined for Narrabri FC’s third and final goal in the 67th minute when Brayshaw ran onto a Jarrett through ball, turned a chasing defender and drove a powerful shot from outside the box just under the crossbar to make the score 3-0.

In the other round 12 match, Wee Waa United defeated Eleven FC 2-0 to move above Moree into second spot.

David Avery scored a first half penalty before Dean Hamblin made the final score 2-0 midway through the second half.

Meanwhile Narrabri FC, Moree Services FC and Wee Waa United were all reserve grade winners recently.

Narrabri FC beat Wee Waa United 1-0 at Hogan Oval last Thursday in a round 10 catch up game before Wee Waa bounced back to beat Eleven FC 3-1 at Cook Oval on Saturday in round 12.

In the other round 12 game, Moree Services FC wrapped up the reserve grade minor premiership with a 1-0 win at Hogan Oval against Narrabri FC.