TAMWORTH Public hit top gear in the second half to run away with its second-round State PSSA Boys’ Knockout clash against Tamworth South yesterday.
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Last year when the two sides met, drop-off extra-time was required to split them.
It looked like things could be headed that way again when it was 0-all at half-time.
But two goals in the first two minutes of the second half set Tamworth Public on its way to a 5-nil win.
It scored its first just 20 seconds in and put a second away not long after.
“We were a bit slow to start but I was very pleased with our second half,” Tamworth Public coach Graeme McKenzie said.
He said Tamworth South had the better of the play the first part of the first half.
“From the get-go they had the ball and hit the ball deep into our defensive half,” McKenzie said.
They were able to hold them out and probably the second half of the first half had the run of the play, which carried on to the second half.
“We were fairly dominant in the second half,” McKenzie said.
He said first half they were a bit too direct at times.
In the second half they got a bit more width and their mobility and hockey nous came through.
“We probably had more hockey players than they did,” he said.
Kurt Barton was very reliable for them at the back.
The Taggart boys (Ryan and Chris) were also strong, particularly in the second half, and provided a lot of their attacking impetus.
They scored two goals each, with Benji Stacey adding the extras.
He was also good at left forward but everyone did their bit, McKenzie said.
Tamworth South coach Peter Godsell said it was a good effort from his side.
“For a few of our fellas, this was their first game,” he said.
He said those two early goals in the second half took the wind out of their sails.
They’d done well until then to hold them.
“They were too good. Their skill came out (in the second half),” he said.
Captain Fletcher Partlin tried hard all game but they all put in a good effort, he said.