IT will be one of the games of the season.
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North Companions and Tamworth FC face off at Johnson Field tomorrow in a top of the table Northern Inland Football Premier League contest.
The two sides are level on 15 points with Oxley Vale Attunga in a three-way logjam at the head of the PL’s Southern
Conference.
North Companions have a developing young side coached by Gavin Thompson and shepherded by the likes of club stalwart Ben Todd, Andrew Beer and striker Ben van Aanholt.
They have plenty of talented young players, Will Kam, Jake Thompson and Nick Bowden just to name a few.
They tackle Tamworth FC, the team Gavin Thompson helped start with Wayne May.
FC has won its past two PL titles, brushing aside the Armidale sides as well as its local threats in OVA and North.
However FC is a new-look side, having lost a number of its stars such as Chris Soto, Jarryd May and about to lose towering centre back Damien Puyenbroek.
Puyenbroek may have played his last game for FC last Saturday when he scored two goals but could be a surprise starter before heading back to his hometown Adelaide for work.
In his place, May has found a couple of new big centre backs, with Kelly Nystrom a great find.
Cameron Potter is another new boy shining while regular Tim Smith could be back from a calf strain that has had his teammates labelling it “old man’s injury”.
Through it all, skipper Scott May remains a pillar while Ben Davis and his quick feet might be the biggest danger to North.
While FC and North stage a battle royal at Johnson Field, OVA are just down the Riverside road hosting South Armidale.
The two Gunnedah sides, Hawks and United, are on the road, the Garry Sams-coached Hawks at Hogan Oval, Narrabri against the combined Narrabri-Wee Waa side that led United 3-1 last week before losing 7-3.
United and its notorious bus driver, Richard Grant, are tackling Moree in Moree.
The PL’s Northern Conference has a North-East Armidale derby at Phil Wheaton Oval and Demon Knights are in Guyra tackling Brayden Kliendienst and his young Guyra United side.