The 2023 Namoi Premier League will soon enter the business end after the ninth round was contested across the weekend.
All sides have now played against one other three times and they are still to play against each other twice more.
Wee Waa United FC’s round nine game against Narrabri FC was initially scheduled to be played at Hogan Oval but was relocated to Cook Oval when the Wee Waa club agreed to host the game due to the Narrabri venue being closed following last week’s rain.
Narrabri FC returned to town with the three points in both grades after scoring a 2-1 first grade victory and a 5-0 win in reserve grade.
The first grade contest continued a brilliant rivalry between the two clubs that for years has seen them bring out the best in one another.
Wee Waa United FC came out firing as the hosts scored in just the second minute when their captain-coach Ben Cooper fired the ball into the back of the net from just outside the six-yard box. It was set up by Nathan Hamblin, who charged onto a brilliant Lachlan Ford through ball down the left edge and then evaded an attempted Izaac Jeffries tackle before squaring the ball up to Cooper to give him the simplest of tap-ins.
The home side looked set to go into half-time with that 1-0 lead, however, Narrabri FC equalised with the final kick of the opening 45 minutes.
It was Victor Matuku who netted from just inside the six-yard box after an attempted clearance by Wee Waa rebounded off Matuku’s teammate Connor Hill and fell to him unmarked.
He drove a powerful shot just inside the right post to make the score 1-all.
Narrabri FC then took the lead 22 minutes into the second stanza when the competition’s leading goal-scorer, Hill, scored his 11th of the season.
Like the earlier two goals, it was from close range as he scored inside the six-yard box after Cooper Brayshaw played a lofted long ball across the field in behind to his brother Jake, who cut the ball back from the left edge to the striker, who then volleyed it into the bottom right corner.
That was the final goal of the game as although Wee Waa pushed for an equaliser, Narrabri FC’s goalkeeper Jakeb Nipperess produced some fine saves to help earn his side the three points.
Narrabri FC’s first grade coach Neil Brayshaw was pleased with the way his side played.
“I thought it was a really good game,” he said.
“Wee Waa got off to a great start and got in behind our defence and they were 1-0 up early. They were playing really good attacking football after that too and it was to our credit that we held them out up until half-time and went in at 1-all.
“We had a good chat at half-time about how we wanted to play in the second half. I wanted the boys to play shorter sharp passes, back each other and get to the 50-50 contests. We did that in the second half.
“It was such a fast game and the last 20 minutes really opened up. After we got the goal to go ahead it was end-to-end and great to watch.
“Both keepers made some really good saves.”
Wee Waa United FC’s first grade captain-coach Cooper was pleased with his side’s performance but said they needed to be more clinical in front of goal.
“I think we actually played pretty well,” he said.
“I think, like other games, we played some brilliant football.
“We just, unfortunately, missed a few chances. We are creating so many chances but we’re just missing them.
“We played excellent, just one or two silly mistakes cost us. We aren’t giving teams many chances, but fortunately for Narrabri, in the last two games they took their chances. We haven’t given them many and they’ve found it hard to break us down, but both goals on Saturday we switched off and left them free for easy chances.”
Narrabri FC went into the match on top of the table with a two-point lead over Inverell FC and a five-point lead over Wee Waa. Those leads became five and eight points, respectively, as Inverell lost 3-2 on home soil against Moree Services FC.
Moree opened the scoring in that match but trailed 2-1 at half-time.
They equalised in the second half and then Aiden Bridge scored the winner with 10 minutes remaining.
The victory was Moree’s first of the year as it rose to three points.
Narrabri FC is on 21 points and then Inverell (16 points) and Wee Waa (13 points) are second and third.
“I’m extremely happy with where we’re sitting,” Brayshaw said.
“It’s a big game this weekend against Moree going into a two-week break and it can really set us up for the rest of the season.
“Our goal this year is top two, so we can get into the major semi-final and have a shot to host the home grand final.
“Our supporter base is great and we know they will travel, but we want to have the grand final here in Narrabri this year.
“The minor premiership would be the icing on the cake and we’ll be pushing hard for that, but the goal is to finish in the top two.”
Narrabri FC and Moree Services FC were also victorious in the reserve grade competition in round nine.
Narrabri FC beat Wee Waa United FC 5-0 on Saturday at Cook Oval.
Pat Lindsay opened the scoring for the visitors early in the match and before a Callum Wales strike and an own goal made the score 3-0 at half-time. Jakeb Nipperess and Jason Foxe netted second-half goals to make the final score 5-0.
The win was Narrabri FC’s ninth in as many games this season as the side sits first with a maximum 27 points.
The clean sheet was its eighth in those nine rounds.
Moree hosted Narrabri Eleven FC on Sunday and won 2-1 to remain nine points behind Narrabri FC in second place on the reserve grade ladder.
The score was nil-all at half-time in that match but Moree came out firing with goals to Adam Schubert and Sam Phelps to make the score 2-0.
Robert Delahunt got one back for the Elevens but the hosts won 2-1.
This Saturday’s round 10 matches will see Wee Waa travel to Inverell in first grade but host Narrabri Eleven FC at Cook Oval in reserve grade, while Narrabri FC travels to take on Moree Services FC in both grades.
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