The Tamworth side will be hoping it’s third time lucky against Armidale opposition as they look to kick-start their season but will field something of a make-shift backline with three of the four defenders from last week unavailable.

All up they’ve got five or six out, coach Gavin Thompson said.

Thompson was still to decide how he was going to plug his defensive holes. He was waiting to learn the final availability of players at training on Thursday night.

They are still searching for their first win after losses to Demon Knights and North Armidale, but Thompson was encouraged by what he saw in the 1-nil loss to the Redman.

“I don’t think we played poorly last week. We had a lot of possession. We hit the post several times,” he said.

It was a big improvement on the previous week when they “didn’t create too much”.

His only real complaint was the goal they conceded, which he described as the worst team goal he’s seen them concede in the six years he’s been with the club.

“It was straight through the middle. Nobody was within 10 yards. Everyone was out of position,” he said.

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The Scorpions suffered a six-goal thrashing at the hands of Oxley Vale Attunga in what was their first game of the season last week, but Thompson isn’t expecting an easy game. 

“South’s always put in,” he said, adding that they struggled against them last year.

One thing he will be stressing to his players is that they need to start well defensively. Last week they were “very poor” and it cost them.

“But it is tough considering three out of the four defenders are away.

“It’s a brand new line-up really,” he said.

In the other games East Armidale host North Armidale and Tamworth FC are at home to Demon Knights.