THE NAMBUCCA men’s Strikers - who are fielding two teams in the North Coast Football comp this year - enjoyed a champagne round at the weekend when the Blues recorded their first match win of the year and the Reds ran riot belting home eight goals.
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Strikers Blue are basically a youth development side with a few wiser heads thrown in the mix to help guide them around the park and they were mustard keen to mix it with Boambee Bombers at the weekend.
Boambee started the brighter with the early action on goal before the Blues settled.
Just past the midway point of the first half, veteran over 35 Peter Brown shellshocked the visiting Bombers with a dazzling solo goal, and one-nil was the margin at oranges.
In the second half, the Blues continued to expose Boambee with excellent use of the wings, but couldn’t nail the killer ball to the centre forwards.
Boambee pressed late and forced the Blues keeper to make several smart saves. Centre back Danny Rickwood was pivotal in defence for Nambucca and resisted many waves of attack with the help of Angus Chaffy and Tay Ellis.
Rickwood then sent the ball upfield for Nambucca to finally find the perfect cross, leaving Brandan Gregory to seal the three points for the win with a tap in from five yards.
In the later game Nambucca Reds faced arch rivals, Coffs United, under lights at Coronation Park.
Despite playing the better football, the home side went down one-nil after a deflected free kick left keeper, Nick Mitchell, helpless.
But the boys rallied and their response was both swift and clinical. First half substitute, Jack Mitchell, was lightning down the right flank and provided a sumptuous cross that was duly dispatched by Clay Urquhart.
Honours were even at the break but the Strikers smelled blood.
The second half saw the flood gates open as the Reds let loose with a conversion rate close to perfect. Ryan Flack was the star up front, with four quality goals and three assists. He was devastating in partnership with Urquhart, who bagged a second consecutive brace. Joel Mason grabbed a late penalty and Jack Mitchell rounded out the scoring with a piece of individual brilliance, leaving the United defence chasing shadows.
A resounding 8-1 victory for the Strikers Reds, which gives them a perfect start to the season.
The boys from both Strikers teams dedicated the wins to team mate Benny Ussher, who sustained a season-ending injury in the Challenge Cup.
The men now take a break for two weeks for the holidays. The next fixture is to be confirmed.
