NO TOYS were thrown from the cot, but the contest was willing as you'd expect in a local derby between Macksville and Nambucca this afternoon.
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The North Macksville field was ringed by spectators sensibly sitting in their warm cars against the cold wind from Armidale for this North Coast Football men's 2nd division clash.
In recent years, it's been the Stingers by a mile over the Nambucca Strikers - with the proof in the pounding of some lopsided scorelines.
There wasn't a sniff of anything different playing out today - both camps officially quiet, bar a few gee-up texts humming in the background during the week.
With an icy cross wind mostly at their backs, it was the men in red who dominated early. They had their swagger on and spent so much time around the Heads' goal they could have been pinged by a ranger for free camping.
Trump-like, the Strikers mounted a desperate wall of defence against the Stingers' caravan. And it held strong, until on the 30-minute mark, the ball was inexplicably loose just out from goal and Macksville pounced. One-nil to the hosts.
But rather than fold, the Strikers got back into the wrestle, and on a rare incursion to the red zone, found the equaliser off the ever dangerous Riley Hayden just before the break.
The stung Stingers came out flying on the resumption and the deceptively quick Brodie Bartlett pounced to put the Stingers ahead.
Again, questions were asked. Would the Strikers respond with fragility or fortitude?
It was the latter, as the sneaky Kai Allan crafted one home from the edge of the box - the magical looping ball defying the keeper.
And just for good measure, Harley Parker added another - again from distance - to set up the final scoreline.
In the final minutes, Macksville threw kitchen sinks and everything else, and went close - but no cigars.
For the hosts, Brodie was a typical powerhouse, and the Stingers defence was resolute, forcing Nambucca to shoot from distance.
Nambucca's best were terrier-like Oliver Walsh in midfield, and strikers Harley Parker and Riley Hayden.