Both teams were missing players through injury and the like, but Macksville were dealt a further blow before the kick off when goalkeeper, Kate Single, injured her hand in the warm up. With the late glove change, the game was under way.

It was the visitors who started well, so well in fact that they were a goal to the good within minutes. Their pacey attackers, Lilly Borg and Paige Ussher-Kinnear, were determined and focused going forward, their runs incisive and troublesome for the usually resolute Strikers defence.

Nambucca worked hard to get into the match and midway through the first half, had wrestled back momentum. The midfield trio of Anna Champion, Amie Goswell and Emily Lane seized back control and began providing striker, Charlotte Williams, with meaningful service.

Wide players, Zara Pastega and Sam Walsh, were covering some distance with lung-busting runs in support of Williams, yet always on hand to retreat to cover Macksville’s dangerous counter attacks.

Stingers’ sweeper, Laura Cooper, proved difficult to beat and it needed a dubious penalty to reward the Strikers for their recent endeavour. Champion converted the spot kick confidently and parity was restored.

The frenetic pace of the match continued. Jess White and Brea Welsh were working well with the midfield but the Strikers’ backline could not contain a potent Stingers outfit. Macksville scored a second goal, when a curving shot eluded stand-in keeper, Keily Chase. Shortly after, Chase put her body on the line in a fair, but crunching challenge, getting injured in the process. Her replacement was beaten moments later and at the break it was Macksville with the lead, 3-1.

Nothing much needed to change for the Strikers after the break, as the score line was not reflective of their efforts. They continued to pressure the Macksville box and had numerous attempts on goal but that clinical finish was lacking.

Terri White, having come on in the first half, was creating chances up front and getting into good positions.

But it felt as though it would be ‘one of those days’.

See photos from the match, here.

Nambucca did eventually find a second goal when, for the second consecutive week, they scored from a corner. Lane pounced on the free ball for her first of the season and the Strikers were back in business.

The remaining 20 minutes were hectic and tense as Nambucca pushed for another goal.

The fourth goalkeeper change of the afternoon for the Strikers released attacking fullback Welsh in a last ditch attempt to get the equaliser. The Strikers, frustratingly, could not find that goal and it was Macksville who earned the three points with a 3-2 victory.

It was a cracking match played in great spirits by both teams.

This week the Nambucca Strikers play Coffs United away while the Macksville Stingers are also away to Corindi.

Both games kick off at 1pm.