Narrabri FC find their feet in big win against Wee Waa

Narrabri FC scored their first win of the Namoi Soccer League season on Saturday and they did so in emphatic fashion as they beat Wee Waa United FC 7-2 in round four at Gately Field.

The Narrabri side took a 3-1 lead into the half-time break and converted that advantage into a five-goal win to put two big losses across the opening three rounds of the campaign behind them.

A young and largely inexperienced Narrabri FC outfit had gone down 11-0 twice, in round one at Hogan Oval against Narrabri Eleven FC and again in round three away against Moree Services FC Blue in round three after sitting out with the round two bye. Saturday’s dominant victory was the confidence boost they needed going forward.

Blake Stride scored the club’s first goal of the season and then doubled both his and the team’s tally later in the half. Charlie Butler also netted for the hosts in the first half, and it was Ryan Creasey who scored Wee Waa’s first-half goal.

Creasey made it a brace just after half-time as Wee Waa got themselves right back in the game at 3-2, but the home side powered home to the victory as the club’s all-time leading goal-scorer Colby Williams bagged a double to make it 5-3 and Isaac Wilmott-McLawrence scored the final two goals in a 7-2 victory.

Williams set up Wilmott-McLawrence’s second to finish the match with three assists and two goals as he continues to stand up as a senior player for the club he debuted for as a 16-year-old back in the 2017 season.

The other round four contest on Saturday saw Narrabri Elevens score their third win in four matches this season when they edged out Moree Services FC Yellow 2-1 in Moree.

Ollie Stait and Callum Wales both netted for the Elevens as they finished the weekend in second place on the five-team ladder with nine points, three behind the undefeated leaders Moree Services FC Blue, who are on 12 points following three wins in the first three rounds and a bye in round four.

Moree Yellow and Narrabri FC have one win each as they sit third and fourth on six points, and the winless Wee Waa United are fifth with three points.

Narrabri FC are now preparing to challenge Moree Yellow away from home this Saturday in what will be a battle to sit in third place once a third of the season is completed. The other round five match will see Wee Waa United host Moree Blue.

All five sides will have played one another once each after Saturday’s games, and there will be 10 rounds remaining in the regular season, which will see the sides play against all of their opponents twice more.