OXLEY Vale Attunga's (OVA) premiership defence suffered a slight hit in Armidale on Saturday when the Mushies dipped to a 2-1 loss against Demon Knights.
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In the process, the Armidale-based side leapfrogged OVA into second on the McDonald's PL ladder and sit seven points adrift of competition-leading North Armidale Redmen.
"Demon Knights scored two goals in the last six minutes of the first half and led 2-nil at halftime," OVA coach Tim Coates said.
"We'd had some chances. Chris Fenton, Lachlan Browne, Benn Genardini and Will Menz all had early shots and we could have been a couple up early on.
"Then we lost Chris Fenton to a back muscle injury after 30 minutes."
That the Mushies were already missing Adam Watson, Tom White and Jack Diebold didn't help.
"It was a very much patched-up OVA side," Coates said.
"Demon Knights deserved to be ahead 2-nil at half time though.
"We set a target of winning the second half and, while we did score when Will Menz scored his first goal in first grade, we fell short.
"Everyone worked hard."
Brendon Fergie was OVA's best, with Menz and Genardini also excelling but they may have lost teammate Dan Cannon for a lengthy period after he suffered a knee injury.
OVA is on the road again this week when they travel to Inverell to tackle a Joeys FC who became the first victims for Namoi United on Saturday.
Namoi United earned their first points of the PL season with a 5-nil win.
North Armidale also won 5-nil against Moree FC and East Armidale delivered a 4-1 loss to Tamworth FC at Johnson Field.
East Armidale coach Chet Davies thought it a "solid team effort".
"We changed a few things around at training during the week and they seemed to work," Davies told The Leader after the three-goal success.
"It was a very solid team effort, right from the front to the middle and down the back.
"The boys have taken ownership for the side and all of them are playing for each other."
They have a huge local derby this Saturday when they play Demon Knights at Doody Park.
They sit four points behind second-placed Demon Knights in fourth.
North Companions and South Armidale had last weekend off after their game was postponed and have western tests, with South heading to Narrabri to play a Namoi United celebrating its first win of the season while North Companions host Moree.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIRST GRADE TABLE: North Armidale 37, Demon Knights 30, OVA 29, East Armidale 26, South Armidale 23, Tamworth FC 19, North Companions 19, Joeys FC 9, Moree FC 7, Namoi United 3.
