Local soccer club Wee Waa United FC returned to winning ways in the 11th round of the 2021 Namoi Soccer League first grade season on Saturday when they returned home from Moree with the three points.
Playing in its first game since June 26 after its round nine and 10 matches were washed out and postponed, Wee Waa was searching for its first win since June 5 and was determined to break a two-game losing streak.
The visitors were victorious 2-0 in the annual NAIDOC Shield match between the two sides.
Wee Waa secured its second clean sheet of the season, doing so without skipper and goalkeeper Steve Phelps who missed the match through injury.
Player-coach Shane Soutter wore the gloves for the match and was successful in ensuring every Moree shot was unable to find the back of the net.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the opening 45 minutes as the teams went into half-time locked at nil-all.
Matt Hamblin opened the scoring about 15 minutes into the second stanza before Hayden Shearin added the second which secured the
travelling team its fourth victory of the season.
Wee Waa United went into that round 11 clash in third position, trailing second-placed Moree by four points, but is now just one point adrift of Moree following the win.
Wee Waa also has two games in hand on the higher-ranked side.
It can overtake Moree on Thursday night when it travels to Narrabri to challenge ladder leaders Narrabri FC in a rescheduled round 10 match.
It will then play against fellow Narrabri outfit Elevens FC on Saturday in round 12, before it returns to Hogan Oval on Thursday, July 29, to play against the Elevens in a rescheduled round nine match.
Meanwhile, should Narrabri FC draw or win its match against Wee Waa this Thursday, it would secure both a fifth consecutive minor premiership and home grand final.
The defending champions continued their undefeated 2021 run when they scored their 10th win on Saturday by downing Elevens FC 3-0 at Hogan Oval.
Just like the match at Moree, the score was nil-all at half-time in Narrabri which was the way it remained until the 65th minute.
Narrabri FC took the lead through a Cooper Brayshaw goal with 25 minutes remaining before Jake Brayshaw netted twice in the final 15 minutes.
The defending champions have now accumulated 30 of a possible 30 competition points in 2021.
In the round 11 reserve grade fixtures on Saturday, Moree Services FC downed Wee Waa United 4-1 while Narrabri FC and Elevens FC drew nil-all.
Wee Waa struck first in Moree when Jay Hall netted to put the visitors in front, but the hosts equalised late in the first half to make the score 1-all at the break.
Moree then piled on three second-half goals to claim all three points.
Moree is currently first on the ladder in that competition with 30 points, 10 clear of second-placed Narrabri FC. Wee Waa is third with six points and the Elevens are last on two points.
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