THE Redmen won the battle of the North in the second round of the new one conference format of the Northern Inland Premier League on Saturday with a dominant display at Marius Street.
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North Armidale’s perfect start to the season continued, with a 6-nil win over the black and white following an 8-nil drumming of Inverell in the opening round.
The Redmen are also undefeated in the FFA Cup after winning their way through to regional champions, and are now awaiting an inter-regional final against Foster Tuncurry in a few weeks’ time.
On Saturday the visitors dominated all aspects of play in a game that had a few flare ups, a send-off and plenty of passion, as North Companions continue to rebuild after losing all 11 players that took the field in last season’s grand final against premiers Oxley Vale.
North Armidale held the lions share of possession from the opening whistle, although it was the home side that had the first shot at goal, a ball sailing over the cross bar one of few Companions chances throughout the match.
It didn’t take long for the visitors to get on the board however, Michael Griffiths hitting his first of a brace in the eleventh minute before Jason Boundie made it 2-nil 10 minutes later.
James Birmingham then scored his first of two just before the break, and after North Companions found themselves down a player in the second half the goals continued to come with Liam Georkas also getting his name on the card.
Redmen skipper Mitch Wilson said their ball possession and passing game was the biggest positive to take away, apart from the three competition points.
“We had a lot of possession and a lot of chances,” Wilson said.
“We could have played a little better - we couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net early but were creating a lot of opportunities.”
The skipper credited the return to form to new coaches Neil Wheaton and Scott Freeman, and the amount of pre-season work that the new coaching regimes have been putting the squad through, as well as the culture within the club
“We have been working hard since January,” Wilson said.
“The team is a lot happier as well and that is part of the reason we have had such a good start to the season.”
Midfielders Michael Griffiths and Brendan Pincham got the nod from the captain as the best on the park, the centre midfielders taking control of the possession and servicing the players up front all game.
Right wing Jason Boundie also had a good game, finding plenty out wide, while the defence of Josh McGann and James Frost ensured the club kept a clean sheet for the season after two rounds.
“We really want to push to win the title this year,” Wilson said.
“We want the trophy.”
Next week the Redmen will line up against the winless Namoi, and will look to further increase their for and against advantage over the competition while North Companions will match up with another club that are also rebuilding after losing a lot of players, Inverell Joeys.
n In other matches on the weekend South Armidale Scorpions upset defending premiers Oxley Vale Attunga 2-1, Demon Knights beat Moree FC 6-nil, East Armidale thumped Namoi United 9-1 in Narrabri and Tamworth FC hammered Inverell’s Joeys FC 7-nil at the Inverell Sporting Complex where Beau Langenbaker finished with a hat trick.
