A game of the season contender was won by Wee Waa United FC when the 2023 Namoi Premier League season resumed on Saturday as Ben Cooper’s men came from three goals down to score a 4-3 victory in Moree.
Wee Waa took on Moree Services FC in round 11 and the visitors found themselves 3-0 down after 25 minutes as signs of rust were evident following a three-week holiday break.
However, they pulled two goals back to go into half-time trailing 3-2, and then scored two more goals in the second stanza to clinch what could be a quite valuable three points.
Wee Waa went into the game trailing the top-ranked side Narrabri FC by 11 points on the ladder, but reduced that deficit to eight points with four rounds remaining to keep the club’s minor premiership hopes alive.
Narrabri FC finished the weekend on 24 points after losing 7-2 against Inverell FC away from home, which saw Inverell rise to 22 points.
Wee Waa is third on 16 points and Moree is still last on three points.
The bottom-ranked team stunned Wee Waa early on Saturday as they came out firing.
Alex Madden opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he got to the ball outside the 18-yard box on the right edge and scored into an empty net after Wee Waa’s goalkeeper Steve Phelps had charged out of his box to intercept a pass but missed the ball.
Lucas Schembri doubled the home side’s lead two minutes later, and then Moree went ahead 3-0 when Madden doubled his tally in the 25th minute with a phenomenal strike from about 25 metres out after he charged onto a lofted through ball and volleyed his shot over Phelps and into the top left corner.
Wee Waa United hit back in the 27th minute when a thunderbolt Cooper free kick cannoned back out off the crossbar but struck Hayden Shearin and rolled into the back of the net.
The visitors reduced the deficit to one goal in the 36th minute when Zac Stait got onto the end of a cross and headed the ball into the bottom right corner to make the score 3-2.
Wee Waa then equalised through an own goal midway through the second half, and then Ray Nixon stepped up to score the winner from the penalty spot with five minutes left to play after Shearin was fouled in the box.
That completed the Wee Waa United comeback as the away side held on to earn the 4-3 victory.
Cooper was proud of his men for working hard to overcome the three-goal deficit.
“It showed a lot of character,” the Wee Waa United captain-coach said of his team’s comeback.
“At the time that Moree put their third goal in, it was a little bit breathtaking, because we weren’t expecting to switch off so badly.
“There were a few errors again, which I seem to keep saying.
“But we lifted after that. As soon as the ball was kicked off, the lads just started running 100 miles an hour and really putting an effort in.
“A few people in attack really took the bull by the horns. I thought Ray (Nixon) did really well up front. He got our players’ player on the day.
“Zac (Stait) did really well on the right. He partnered up well with Ibby (Ibrahim Sultani) who was our right back. They were attacking together really well.”
Wee Waa United has now turned its attention to another away game this Saturday in round 12 when it challenges Narrabri FC at Hogan Oval.
The away side would move within five points of either first or second place with a win that day.
Narrabri FC trailed 3-0 late in the first half on Sarturday but Bailey Campbell scored in injury time as the visitors went into half-time trailing 3-1.
However, Inverell came out firing as the hosts went ahead 6-1.
Campbell scored again to make the score 6-2, but Inverell restored its five-goal lead as it made the final score 7-2.
Meanwhile, Wee Waa United FC went down 5-0 in reserve grade on Saturday.
Moree Services FC led 1-0 at half-time after a Josh O’Neill strike was the difference at the break.
He scored two more goals in the second half to finish with a hat-trick, and his teammate Darrell Smith also bagged a second half brace to help make the score 5-0.
The other reserve grade game was played on Thursday night as Narrabri FC beat Narrabri Eleven FC 6-0 in the local derby after they led 4-0 at half-time.
Midfielder Jorian Fleming scored a first half hat-trick in that game and Colby Williams scored the other goal in the first 40 minutes.
Williams scored a second goal in the second half and Cody Shepherdson rounded out the scoring.
The undefeated Narrabri FC is top of the reserve grade ladder with 31 points following 10 wins and a draw in 11 rounds.
Moree Services FC is still ranked second with 22 points, while Wee Waa United (7) and the Elevens (4) make up the bottom half of the competition ladder.
Wee Waa United and Narrabri FC will go head-to-head at Hogan Oval this Saturday.
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