Narrabri FC’s first grade side falls short again on grand final day

Narrabri FC’s Namoi Premier League minor and major premiership double hopes came crashing down on grand final day on Saturday as the side fell at the final hurdle away from home at the Inverell Sporting Complex, where Inverell FC were crowned champs for a second straight season following a 2-0 victory.

The hosts were dominant for most of the match and should have led at the half-time break as the two sides went in locked at nil-all.

Inverell were cruelly denied by the crossbar in the 16th minute when a cracking Jackson Haussler strike flew over the Narrabri FC goalkeeper Jakeb Nipperess but did not dip enough to beat the woodwork.

The home side had the biggest chance of the half in the 32nd minute when Andrew Saru got onto a Paul Leo pass in behind Narrabri’s defence down the left edge but sprayed his one-on-one strike across the face of the goal.

Inverell should have scored again four minutes into the second stanza as Leo continued to dazzle the Narrabri defence, but another dangerous pass in behind was blazed over the bar.

The hosts finally took a well-deserved lead in the 55th minute, and it was Leo who created the danger again with another brilliant through ball in behind the Narrabri defence. Saru found himself one-on-one with Nipperess again, and this time, he buried his shot from just inside the 18-yard box into the bottom left corner to make the score 1-0.

Inverell thought they had a second goal seven minutes later, but Junior Padokana was denied by the offside flag after running onto a Saru pass in the box and blasting the ball into the back of the net.

However, nothing could stop them a minute later when Leo dispossessed Narrabri centre-back Nathan Trindall and raced away to slot a one-on-one strike past Nipperess and into the back of the net to make the score 2-0.

Narrabri’s comeback hopes were dealt a blow with 10 minutes to go when Trindall was sent from the field after receiving a second yellow card, and the away side were unable to find the back of the net as Inverell held onto their 2-0 lead to be crowned champions again.

Narrabri’s coach Neil Brayshaw said he was disappointed with the result but commended Inverell on the way they performed on grand final day as well as both sides on pushing each other all the way to the end in 2023.

He was also extremely proud of his club for what they have achieved this year, including a first grade minor premiership, the reserve grade minor and major premierships, first grade golden boot award (Connor Hill), reserve grade golden boot award (Bailey Campbell), first grade golden glove award (Zaac Brayshaw) and reserve grade golden glove award (Josh Taylor).

“I’m so proud to be involved with this club and with what we’ve achieved this year,” the first grade coach said.

“Even though first grade didn’t get the major premiership, we did get the minor premiership, and the boys put in a lot of hard work all year.

“It just wasn’t our day, unfortunately. Inverell were the better team, and they played some really good football.

“I said to the boys after the game, I couldn’t have been any prouder of their defence. We defended well, but the two goals we conceded came from mistakes when we had the ball, which we have done all year. They scrambled so well, and I said to them at half-time it was a credit to them that it was only nil-all because we had no ball in the first half.”

Brayshaw said that it was back to the drawing board for the club ahead of the 2024 campaign. The first grade side have now lost five of the six grand finals they have played in since 2017, and they are now eyeing off getting back to the big dance and going one better next season.