NORTH Armidale Redmen can make it three wins in succession when they host Guyra United in their NIF Premier League clash at Phil Wheaton Oval this Saturday.
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It will also be something of a “dashing” family clash as well, with the Reds coached by Andy Lennon and Guyra United’s young captain-coach BJ Kliendienst helped by Darren “Dasher” Lennon.
“I’m the better-looking one,” Andy Lennon joked on Saturday night while reporting in on his side’s 4-1 win over Oxley Vale Attunga at Phil Wheaton Oval.
The Redmen had dumped North Companions 5-nil the week before in Tamworth to ignite the side’s season.
Lennon said the scoreline “made us look better than we were”.
However the Redmen are starting to capitalise on opportunities, something they lacked last season.
Scoring nine goals in two weeks against two good sides has Lennon hoping his side has found an end to its goalscoring woes.
While his strikers have hit the mark so too have his young goalkeeper, Riley Hopgood, and central defender Andrew McGann.
“OVA had us under a lot of pressure but Riley made a couple of very good saves,” Lennon said.
“If we’d have gone down 2-nil at that stage it might have been a far different scoreline.
“But he made those saves and then we capitalised on some chances.”
McGann, he said, is an outstanding footballer.
“He’s very strong on the ball and can also knock a ball 60m to someone’s feet.”
Kliendienst is 20.
He coached last year too.
“I love it,” he said after Saturday’s 6-nil loss to Tamworth FC.
“We’ve got a good young side.
“If we can keep them together we’ll have a real good side in the next three or four years.”
He said he has a number of 16 and 17-year-olds playing.
“We had one 14-year-old play today for us,” he said of Danny Jackson.
“Danny’s going to be a star of the future.”
As for Saturday, he thought Corby Kliendienst was his best after he moved him into the midfield.
“He had a great game today,” Kliendienst said.
“Everyone tried hard.
“Tamworth FC were pretty good in the first half but we gave them a couple of soft goals too.
“We held our own in the second, had a few shots on goal and had them under a bit of pressure.
“Other than that I’m not disappointed – I thought we knocked the ball around okay.”