Northern Inland’s U11’s warmed up for next month’s State Championships with a runner-up finish in the premier plate division at the Premier International Tournament on the Gold Coast on the weekend.
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The Marie Wise-coached side won all three of their games on the final day on Sunday to, on goal difference, place second. They didn’t concede a goal, notching 4-nil, 7-nil and 4-nil wins.
The side was made up of players from Gunnedah, Tamworth and Armidale, and Wise was “extremely happy” with how they performed.
After winning their opening two games of the tournament they lost their next two to go into the plate division, where they recorded two draws and a loss on the Saturday.
It was a big improvement from their showing last year.
“They went last year as U10s and the only game they won was the last one before they went home,” Wise said.
“The talk amongst the parents was how much they’ve improved.”
Wise was particularly impressed with the way they worked as a team and their ball play.
“The movement of the ball, and being able to play into space, and start from the back and push forward,” she said.
The tournament served as a warm-up for the State Championships, which were supposed to be held in June but were washed out.
“That’s was really what we have been working for,” Wise said.
They have been rescheduled to August.
“That was a really good benchmark for what’s coming up with the State Championships,” she said.