Wee Waa United far too good for Narrabri FC in season opener

Wee Waa United FC is off to a flying start in the new Namoi Soccer League season following a win over Narrabri FC in the opening round of the first grade campaign on Thursday night.

The two sides kicked off the 2022 competition under lights at Hogan Oval where the visitors stunned last season’s undefeated minor premiers with a superior performance to earn a 3-1 victory.

Wee Waa outplayed the home side in every third of the field and was particularly impressive defensively.

Narrabri FC started the game on the front foot and created several chances in the opening 15 minutes, but Wee Waa was up to the task defensively and then found the back of the net in the 25th minute.

An unmarked Nathan Hamblin ran onto a David Avery backheel pass just inside the 18-yard box and fired the ball into the bottom right corner to score the first goal of the season.

Teammate Lachlan Fogarty then netted the side’s second of the contest five minutes later to give Wee Waa a 2-0 lead, which it took into the half-time break.

The visitors added a third early in the second stanza when Ray Nixon went up to contest a header in the box with Narrabri FC defender Jess O’Neill. Both got a head to the ball and it cannoned into the roof of the net, with Nixon awarded the goal.

Narrabri FC hit back with a goal with 15 minutes left to play when a Rhys Hayne cross from the right sideline found its way into the back of the net.

However, that stroke of luck was too little, too late, as Wee Waa held on to win the match 3-1.

Narrabri Eleven FC’s first grade side – back, Bailey Campbell, Rhys Bower, Riley Longworth, Cody Shepherdson, Brad Cornall, Noah Smith, Jakeb Nipperess, Jonty Schwager, front, Patrick Loder, Jesse Weekes, Josh Roberts-Garnsey, Benji Porter, Josh Boyd and Connor Hill. Narrabri Eleven FC’s first grade side – back, Bailey Campbell, Rhys Bower, Riley Longworth, Cody Shepherdson, Brad Cornall, Noah Smith, Jakeb Nipperess, Jonty Schwager, front, Patrick Loder, Jesse Weekes, Josh Roberts-Garnsey, Benji Porter, Josh Boyd and Connor Hill.

Wee Waa United’s reserve grade side - back, Axel Currey, Thomas Eldridge, Nic Kable, Hayden Shearin, Bailey Organ, Jake Vella, Reece Pfeffer, Ben Gilliland, front, Sarah Trevaskis, Alisha Conomos, Andy Kiely, Brock Radburn, Kallan Marchant, Mackenzie Jones, Amelia Kiem and James Smith. Wee Waa United’s reserve grade side - back, Axel Currey, Thomas Eldridge, Nic Kable, Hayden Shearin, Bailey Organ, Jake Vella, Reece Pfeffer, Ben Gilliland, front, Sarah Trevaskis, Alisha Conomos, Andy Kiely, Brock Radburn, Kallan Marchant, Mackenzie Jones, Amelia Kiem and James Smith.

Narrabri FC’s reserve grade side - back, Baxter Capp, Tynan Williams, Clayton Laws, Darcy Gleeson, Callum Wales, Darren Moodie, James Stuart, front, Ben Stride, Andrea Brown, George Bennett, Tom Ryan, Ollie Stait, Oscar George and Matt Edmonds. Narrabri FC’s reserve grade side - back, Baxter Capp, Tynan Williams, Clayton Laws, Darcy Gleeson, Callum Wales, Darren Moodie, James Stuart, front, Ben Stride, Andrea Brown, George Bennett, Tom Ryan, Ollie Stait, Oscar George and Matt Edmonds.

Wee Waa United’s first grade side – back, Axel Currey, Jacob Hopman, David Avery, Alex Lucero, Mark Rottger, Ray Nixon, Nick Gorton, Steve Phelps, front, Hayden Shearin, Jayden Hamblin, Lachlan Fogarty, Dean, Matt and Nathan Hamblin and Ibrahim Sultani. Wee Waa United’s first grade side – back, Axel Currey, Jacob Hopman, David Avery, Alex Lucero, Mark Rottger, Ray Nixon, Nick Gorton, Steve Phelps, front, Hayden Shearin, Jayden Hamblin, Lachlan Fogarty, Dean, Matt and Nathan Hamblin and Ibrahim Sultani.

Narrabri FC’s first grade side – back, Matt Edmonds, Ben Stride, Nathan Trindall, Jess O’Neil, Zaac Brayshaw, Rhys Hayne, Jake Brayshaw, front, Tom Ryan, Oscar George, Tom Holland, Cooper Brayshaw, Adam Pryor, Colby Williams and Zac Stait. Narrabri FC’s first grade side – back, Matt Edmonds, Ben Stride, Nathan Trindall, Jess O’Neil, Zaac Brayshaw, Rhys Hayne, Jake Brayshaw, front, Tom Ryan, Oscar George, Tom Holland, Cooper Brayshaw, Adam Pryor, Colby Williams and Zac Stait.

Wee Waa United coach David Avery told The Courier that while there was still plenty of room for improvement, he was happy with his side’s efforts.

“It was a bit scrappy from us tonight, but for our second game of the year (including a trial match win against Moree last month), it’s not looking too bad for us,” he said.

“We just have to work on our passes and touches now.

“But we took our chances when they were there, which was really good.

“We did really well holding the ball up when we made breaks too to let our numbers come up, which is what we’ve been working on this year.

“Instead of just through balls all the time, we want to get it down there and hold it up and wait for our teammates.

“We’ve got Gunnedah at home [this Saturday], and we’ll be looking for the win again. We want to have a good crack this year.

“But all I’m looking at during this early stage of the season is getting our passes and touches and everything on point, so when it comes to crunch time, we are ready to go.”

Avery said that the side’s goalkeeper and captain Steve Phelps produced a standout performance between the sticks and led by example in the two-goal win.

“Steve’s been our captain for a few years now. He can see a lot from that goal back there and he’s a very good talker,” Avery said.

“I would’ve given him man-of-the-match tonight.

“He made some cracking saves. If it wasn’t for him, we probably would’ve gone down.”

Earlier in the night, Wee Waa United FC drew 0-all with Narrabri FC in the reserve grade match.

Chances were few and far between as both sides defended superbly in the hour-long game.

Club president and reserve grade player/co-coach Andy Kiely said he was pleased with the way his side defended in round one and that he could not wait for the club’s first home games of the year this Saturday when it welcomes Gunnedah FC to Cook Oval.

“Get down and support us,” was his message to the club’s supporters and the entire town itself.

“We’ve been training hard for the past couple of months and we have the numbers this year.

“Tonight, in reserve grade, I think we played the best we’ve played in the past couple of seasons.

“Our backline really kept us in the game and unfortunately we missed a few chances.

“We were expecting a hard game and we got it.”

The remaining round one fixtures were contested on Saturday as Moree Services FC and Inverell FC prevailed in tight first grade contests. Inverell scored a 2-1 away victory against Gunnedah FC, while Moree travelled to Hogan Oval and downed Narrabri Eleven FC 3-2.

Narrabri forward Bailey Campbell struck first at Hogan Oval on Saturday when he found the bottom left corner with an accurate shot from just outside the 18-yard box in the 18th minute.

Moree equalised with six minutes left to play in the first half before it hit the lead and made the score 2-1 early in the second.

However, the Elevens got back in the contest midway through the half when Campbell netted again to even the score at 2-all.

The visitors eventually had the final say when Alex Madden scored the winner with nine minutes left to play before his side hung on to claim all three points.

In Gunnedah, the hosts’ player-coach Andy Cygan found the back of the net, but an Andrew Saru double lifted Inverell FC to victory.

In reserve grade on Saturday, Moree won 7-1 at Hogan Oval and Inverell scored a 3-1 win in Gunnedah.

Round two fixtures will see Wee Waa host its first home game of the year and the two Narrabri sides hit the road for away games. Wee Waa will host Gunnedah FC, Narrabri FC will take on Moree Services FC and the Elevens will challenge Inverell FC, all on Saturday.