Wee Waa United FC marks first grade return to the field with a win in Moree

Wee Waa United FC’s first grade side put an opening-round forfeit in the rear-view mirror on Saturday when it scored a 3-1 victory against Moree Services FC in round two of the 2023 Namoi Premier League season.

Three goals in the opening half-hour gave the visitors a comfortable lead, which they defended until the 88th minute when the home side netted a consolation goal to reduce the deficit to two.

It was the perfect way to bounce back for Wee Waa after the team did not have enough numbers to travel to Inverell a week earlier in round one and had to settle for an automatic 3-0 loss.

Wee Waa United FC’s new first grade captain-coach Ben Cooper told The Courier that he was thrilled to get out on the park for his team’s first game of the campaign.

He said that his players had been working hard in training for the past few weeks and that he was pleased with the way they played in their first outing.

Wee Waa United FC struck first just three minutes into the contest when Ollie Stait netted in his first game for his new team. The former Narrabri FC midfielder switched clubs during the week in search for more first grade game time, and the 15-year-old made an immediate impact as he ran onto a cross that was sent in from the right by Cooper and volleyed home with the inside of his left foot from just outside the six-yard box to make the score 1-0 on debut.

Wee Waa doubled its advantage 20 minutes later when David Avery ran onto a cross and found the back of the net from just inside the 18-yard box.

Nathan Hamblin set up that chance after he made a brilliant tackle on the halfway line and charged down the left edge before sending in a perfectly-timed low cross in behind the Moree defence.

Wee Waa then made the score 3-0 in the 29th minute when Jordan Hannaford scored after he and Ray Nixon created pressure on a Moree defender as he was in possession. Hannaford tackled him, muscled him off the ball and then smashed a shot from 20 yards out just inside the right post.

Wee Waa took that three-goal lead into the half-time break, and the score stayed that way until the 88th minute when Lucas Schembri ran in between two Wee Waa defenders and onto a lofted through ball before slotting a one-on-one strike into the bottom right corner.

However, it was too little, too late for Moree as Wee Waa secured a 3-1 victory.

The reserve grade game kicked off the day in Moree, which the hosts won 3-1.

Alex Madden netted in the 35th minute to give his side a 1-0 lead at half-time and then doubled Moree’s lead from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute.

Wee Waa United FC hit back three minutes later when Izach Walters netted his first goal for the team, but Madden completed his hat-trick with a third goal in the 61st minute that wrapped up the scoring for the match.

Meanwhile, Narrabri FC finished the round at the top of the table in both grades after scoring round two victories.

The club’s reserve grade side played against Narrabri Eleven FC in a local derby at Hogan Oval under lights on Thursday night and won 3-0.

Callum Wales scored the only goal of the first half, and then goals in the second stanza scored by Ben Stride and Pat Lindsay gave Narrabri FC a three-goal victory.

The side has now kept two clean sheets in as many matches and has picked up a maximum six points to start the season.

The Narrabri club’s first grade side then travelled to Inverell on Saturday to take on Inverell FC for the first time since those two teams met in the 2022 grand final in September.

While Inverell got the job done that day, it was Narrabri FC that prevailed in the rematch as it scored a 4-2 win.

The visitors opened the scoring in incredible fashion when an Inverell back pass rolled under the goalkeeper’s foot and into the back of the net.

However, the hosts equalised and took the lead through two penalty shots after Narrabri FC conceded two fouls inside the 18-yard box. They were scored by Gray Atu and Pior Pcychur.

Narrabri FC’s Cooper Brayshaw was on target next when the captain equalised with his third goal in two games to make the score 2-all at the break, and then Rowan Keeler scored his first goal for the Narrabri club to give the visitors a 3-2 advantage in the second half.

Connor Hill iced the game when he continued his goal-scoring form with his third goal of the season to make the final score 4-2.

The third round of the season will be played across three days this week, with Narrabri FC hosting Wee Waa United in both grades on Thursday night, Inverell hosting Moree in first grade on Saturday, and Moree hosting Narrabri Elevens in reserve grade on Sunday.