Namoi United learn valuable lessons in loss against the league leaders

Namoi United took on the form team of the 2024 Northern Inland Premier League season on Saturday as they welcomed Armidale City Westside FC to Narrabri, and although the hosts led at half-time, the visitors returned home with the three points after they prevailed 3-2 in the round eight clash at Hogan Oval.

The combined Narrabri/Wee Waa/Moree outfit hit the lead in the 17th minute as striker Ray Nixon made the score 1-0 with a clinical finish. Matt Urquhart created the chance with a perfect long ball down the right edge into the path of Cooper Brayshaw, and he squared the ball into the box to Nixon who took a touch to set himself before firing a strike into the bottom-left corner.

Namoi entered the half-time break with that one-goal lead, but Armidale City Westside came out firing in the second stanza and equalised just 90 seconds after play had restarted when Aiden Webster was left unmarked and got onto the end of a bouncing pass in the box before firing a volley past Zaac Brayshaw and into the back of the net.

The visitors then took the lead for the first time in the 63rd minute when Chitipat Poomipak reacted quickest after Brayshaw made a save and the ball rebounded back out. Poomipak got to the loose ball first and fired it home to make the score 2-1, but that became 2-2 just 11 minutes later as Cooper Brayshaw volleyed home the equaliser, producing a strike from just outside the six-yard box that was too powerful for Armidale City Westside’s goalkeeper/coach Anthony Gray.

Namoi United pushed hard to get back in front but it was the Armidale men who made the score 3-2 in the 80th minute when Webster was left unmarked again, this time at a corner kick, and he headed a powerful strike into the back of the net to make the final score 3-2.

Namoi United coach Neil Brayshaw told The Courier he was proud of the way his team performed, but added that there were lessons to be learned, including how they began the second half and then conceded the third goal.

“I think our guys played awesome. I couldn’t be more proud of how we played,” Brayshaw said.

“They (Armidale City Westside) are a quality side, and the result shows where we’re at. We’re getting better.

“We deserved a draw, I think. Like I said, they’re a very good side and we matched them.

“We just switched off when we got a corner against us and the boys couldn’t believe it. They left a bloke unmarked in the middle, and he hit his header really hard. There was no chance of stopping it.

“Even though we probably should have been playing out from a goal kick, we shouldn’t have switched off and left him unmarked.

“Our passing and being composed, and working our way out of trouble, I was pleased with again, and I think our defence was excellent. Just lapses in concentration led to their goals.

“The big change for us was Matt Hamblin coming off injured at half-time. He was a big loss in the middle in the second half. He’s been holding in the midfield and we missed him there in the second half.

“I think we lost our way for 10-15 minutes in the second half, and that’s when they got ahead. We are still lacking that intensity for the full 90 minutes. We just didn’t match their intensity after half-time.

“When we scored through Cooper, we got composed again, and it was just unfortunate at the end that they scored off that corner.”

The loss saw Namoi United remain in fourth spot on the competition’s Southern Conference ladder. They are still three points behind third-placed North Companions with a game in hand on them.

Fifth-placed Hillvue Rovers moved within one point of Namoi United as they beat North Companions 3-0.

Southern Conference leaders Moore Creek had the bye in round eight and second-placed Oxley Vale Attunga FC won 6-1 against Norths United.

Tamworth FC beat East Armidale FC 7-0 to rise into sixth place over the now seventh-placed South United FC, who lost 2-1 to South Armidale FC.

The only Northern Conference derby on Saturday saw Inverell and Demon Knights finished locked at 1-all.

The weekend results saw Armidale City Westside remain in first place on the Northern Conference ladder. DK, Inverell, South Armidale, Norths and East Armidale are ranked second to sixth, respectively.

Namoi United’s reserve grade side remained winless on Saturday but moved to four points following their fourth draw of the campaign as they finished 1-all with the Armidale City Westside reserve grade team after Connor Hill struck late to cancel out the visitors’ early opener.

Namoi United’s next two games will be road trips to Armidale either side of the June long weekend break. They will meet the defending first grade champions South Armidale United FC on Saturday in round nine at New England Mutual Sportsground, and Brayshaw said his team were looking forward to the challenge.

“South Armidale are going to be real hard, even though they’re lost a few players from last year,” Brayshaw said.