North Coast clubs off to a strong start

North Coast Football kicked off its Westfield FFA Cup campaign in the region with 10 clubs competing.

The first day of the Cup saw Urunga Raiders, who made it to the Round of 32 Qualification Weekend last year, show their dominance on the park defeating Westlawn Tigers 9-0.

Whilst two players bagged hat-tricks for the Raiders, the Tigers showed promising signs as a young squad working the ball well and managing stints of good possession.

Coffs Coast Tigers lived up to their club’s pre-season hype thumping Northern Storm 5-1. The game exploded into life with three penalties in the opening 30 minutes; the Storm missed their first, then both sides bagged one each to head into the break level at 1-1.

After half time the Tigers took control and scored four to win the game convincingly at home.

Day two saw the biggest scoreline yet with Coffs United Lions easing their way to round two defeating Grafton United 10-0.

Orara Valley started off the season with a dominant 4-1 performance against Maclean at McLean Street Oval. Orara outplayed the Bobcats, who were missing one or two key players.

The match of the day, however, was a reinvented Premier League Sawtell side, fielding several of their opponents, Boambee Bombers, players from last season.

One of the players that moved, youngster Xavier Sproule, set up Sawtell’s first goal and was a constant menace against his former club.

Boambee gave a good account of themselves for most of the game, and probably had the larger share of possession, but lost against a better Scorpions side 3-1, who were organised defensively and made the most of the Bomber’s mistakes.

Round 2 of the cup will now see Orara Valley FC take on Coffs City United FC, Sawtell Scorpions FC take on Coffs Coast Tigers FC and Urunga FC with a bye.

To find out other match up’s and to see where other Pools are being played, you can find them here.