Coaches keen as grand final day approaches for Narrabri FC

The biggest day of the year is upon the Namoi Soccer League as Narrabri FC and Inverell FC prepare to go head-to-head in Saturday’s first and reserve grade deciders.

The clubs have shared a competitive rivalry in the 2022 campaign, which is Inverell’s first as a part of the league.

The Inverell sides topped the table in both divisions and then got the job done in the major semi-finals to earn grand final spots on home soil.

Narrabri FC’s teams both placed second and then beat Wee Waa in the preliminary finals to join Inverell FC in the big dance, and both games are expected to be close, tough contests on Saturday.

In first grade, the two grand finalists produced arguably the game of the season back in May when Narrabri FC scored a 5-4 come-from-behind win in a rescheduled round three fixture under lights.

The Narrabri side then beat Inverell 3-0 away from home in June before their third and final encounter of the regular season was washed out and declared a draw.

Inverell then won the major semi-final 2-1 against the Narrabri men, but coach Neil Brayshaw said that his side had learnt its lesson from that defeat.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge, and I’m very excited,” he said of the grand final showdown.

“Inverell are a really good side, and they have a lot of strengths.

“We are used to playing here (in Narrabri) on grand final day, so we are looking forward to the challenge of our first away grand final.

“They’ll get great support from their home crowd, but we have to block that out and play our game.

“We have the best passing game in the comp, I think, so if we can play to that and not put ourselves under pressure, we’ll do fine I think.

“We put ourselves under pressure in the first half of that last game.

“All we have to improve, as far as I’m concerned, from the last time we played them is one half.”

Brayshaw said that his team had “unfinished business from last year”, a reference to going through the 2021 regular season undefeated to earn a home grand final, only for it to be cancelled due to restrictions put in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also labelled the introduction of both Inverell FC and Gunnedah FC into the competition this year as “terrific”.

Narrabri FC goes into the decider without goalkeeper and co-captain Zaac Brayshaw, who is away on a planned holiday and will be replaced between the sticks by Danny Laws.

The side is otherwise at full strength.

Meanwhile, the reserve grade grand final will be the first since the Namoi Soccer League reformed in 2017.

Reserve grade was only introduced last season, and the 2021 finals series was abandoned due to COVID-19.

Narrabri FC has a massive task on its hands come Saturday as it looks to do something no side has done so far in 2022 – beat Inverell.

Inverell FC won all 13 games during the regular season to finish the year as the undefeated minor premiers and then beat Narrabri FC 1-0 in the semi-final at Inverell Sporting Complex to advance to the decider.

Narrabri FC also lost 3-0 and 1-0 to Inverell FC during the regular season, but coach Ben Stride is confident his team can get the job done with the premiership trophy on the line.

“I’m pretty stoked, and I’ve been looking forward to this game for a while,” Stride said.

“The way we started, I wasn’t sure if we’d make it here. But the way we’ve finished, we definitely deserve to be here.

“We have a great bond, and everyone puts in for each other.

“We defend well against Inverell, and we create a lot of shots against them, we just need to get a few of those shots in and we’ll be fine.”

Stride and Brenton Cochrane are the only Narrabri FC reserve grade players unavailable for the decider.