Narrabri FC’s coaches happy with first hitouts of the pre-season

Local soccer club Narrabri FC played its first trial matches of the year on Sunday when it hosted Gunnedah FC in muddy conditions at Gately Field.

The reserve grade match kicked off the day in the rain as the hosts went down 2-1 before their first grade side scored a 7-2 win against the visiting Gunnedah outfit.

Neil Brayshaw’s men picked up right where they left off last year in that five-goal victory.

Narrabri FC’s first grade team won its final two games of an undefeated 2021 season a combined 17-1 in August last year, before the Namoi Soccer League campaign was called off and eventually cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its first match since then, goals flowed for the Narrabri team against one of the new additions to the Namoi Soccer League in 2022.

Narrabri FC’s coach told The Courier he could not have been happier with his team’s effort on the day.

“I’m very pleased with the performance and I couldn’t have asked for any more for the first hitout of the year,” Brayshaw said.

“I was really happy with our passing in the wet weather.

“We are playing a 4-3-3 again, which is a great setup for us.

“Our guys defended really well and we looked best through the centre around our mids.

“There were times in the first half that we tried to score off every play, but in the second we were a lot more patient and if nothing was on we played the ball back or across.

“We looked for the opportunity, and when it presented, we went forward.

“Our composure in the second half was really good.”

The trial match was played across 23-minute quarters, and Narrabri FC fired home five goals across the third and fourth terms as its hard work in the pre-season helped the hosts outlast the visitors as the game went on.

Brayshaw was pleased to see his side still firing in the final quarter.

“Without a doubt, our pre-season is paying off,” he said.

“I wanted all the guys that started the game to stay out there as long as they could to help build some match fitness and get miles under their legs and to really see how the pre-season has gone.

“They did that well. The gym work we’ve done and a lot more ball work before our first game have paid off.”

The club’s first grade coach was also pleased to give several young players the chance to play first grade on the day, including Callum Wales who had just made his debut for Narrabri FC in the reserve grade game.

The home side’s front three linked up well in Sunday’s first grade match and combined for six goals. Jake Brayshaw finished the game with a hat-trick, Blake Jarrett bagged a double and Colby Williams also found the back of the net.

The side’s other goal was scored by centre back Adam Pryor, who netted for the club for the first time.

The hosts took the lead early in the match when Jarrett scored a tap in from five metres out after running onto a pin-point Williams cross.

Narrabri FC went into the half-time break leading 2-1 after Gunnedah FC equalised from the penalty spot and Brayshaw regained the lead with a powerful strike across the Gunnedah FC goalkeeper into the bottom right corner from close range.

Brayshaw completed his hat-trick early in the second stanza with two more goals, then Pryor and Williams got themselves on the scoresheet.

Gunnedah FC hit back with a late goal, but Narrabri FC had the final say when Jarrett scored his second, again from close range, after running onto a Cooper Brayshaw cross.

The reserve grade game was played across 30-minute halves on Sunday and was a nine-a-side match.

Narrabri FC fielded five debutants in that game. One of those players was Wales, who found the back of the net midway through the first half to make the score 1-0 after beating three Gunnedah FC defenders during a dazzling run.

Gunnedah FC levelled the score just before the break to go into half-time on even terms at 1-1, then scored the only goal of the second half to take home the win.

Narrabri FC’s reserve grade coach Ben Stride said that his side handled the wet and muddy conditions well and he was pleased with its effort.

“I thought we played a pretty good game considering it was our first run together,” Stride said.

“Everyone held their positions well and now we just have a fair few small things to work on, which is good.

“I thought that everyone handled the conditions really well, just the fact we haven’t played much together showed at times out there.”

Stride said that he was proud of the entire team, and labelled centre back, Noah Ghassan, as a standout.

Narrabri FC’s two teams will be back in action this weekend. The reserve grade side will take on Wee Waa at Hogan Oval on Saturday, then the first grade team will travel to Gunnedah the following day for a return fixture against Gunnedah FC.