Namoi United let two points slip but remain undefeated

Coach Neil Brayshaw said it was the one that got away as Namoi United extended their unbeaten start to the 2025 Northern Inland Premier League first grade campaign but dropped two points after conceding a late equaliser against Demon Knights on Saturday.

The combined Narrabri/Wee Waa/Moree side welcomed the Armidale outfit to Hogan Oval for the round 10 clash, where the hosts went ahead in the 85th minute when Jake Brayshaw smashed in a volley to give the hosts their first lead of the contest.

Demon Knights then equalised five minutes later when Kirk Burton got onto a bouncing ball and headed it past Zaac Brayshaw after the hosts had failed to deal with a free kick that had been lumped into the box from halfway.

Both sides pushed hard for a winner in injury time and Namoi United went closest when Cooper Brayshaw beat a defender in the box, but his shot from a tight angle was well saved by Demon Knights’ goalkeeper Wade Perram.

Earlier in the game, the two sides were locked at 0-0 after a scoreless first half.

Both sides almost took the lead with spectacular long-range strikes, but Demon Knights’ was ruled out offside and Namoi United’s was tipped over the crossbar.

Burton thought he had opened the scoring in the 13th minute when he curled a shot from well outside the 18-yard box over Zaac Brayshaw and into the back of the net, but he was offside when he received a pass from a teammate before turning and shooting.

Namoi United almost went ahead in the 15th minute when Rorigo Araujo won a contest in the middle third and then with his back to goal turned two defenders and unleashed a dipping strike from distance that looked set to beat Perram, but the talented veteran shot-stopper was able to keep it out with an impressive diving save.

The visitors went in front in the 51st minute when a cross deflected off Jayden Hamblin and into his own net.

Namoi United equalised in the 82nd minute when Cooper Brayshaw hit a pass in behind the Demon Knights defence into the path of striker Ray Nixon, who unleashed a shot from a tight angle across Perram and into the bottom-left corner.

Jake Brayshaw made it 2-1 three minutes later when he got onto the end of a Nathan Trindall cross and smashed a volleyed strike into the bottom-right corner, but the visitors equalised just before injury time and the two sides shared a point each.

Namoi United are still third on both the southern conference and overall ladders as they moved to 15 points alongside Oxley Vale Attunga. They are now four points behind the league leaders Moore Creek, who beat OVA 2-1 in Tamworth in round 10 to move to 19 points.

The southern conference is the most dominant of the two this season, with Hillvue Rovers fourth on 15 points and Tamworth FC fifth on 13 points.

Inverell FC are currently the top-ranked northern conference, but are sitting sixth on the overall ladder after they lost 2-0 away from home against Tamworth FC on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Namoi United went down 4-0 against Demon Knights in reserve grade on Saturday. They are now sixth on the southern conference ladder and ninth overall.

Namoi United are back at home at Hogan Oval this Saturday when they host OVA in round 11.