Tudor Wests took the advantage in what is a race of three for the Tamworth men’s minor premiership with a scratchy one goal win over Kiwis on Sunday.
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Workies’ earlier 4-1 triumph over South United had put them on top, but they only sat there for a couple of hours with Tudors captain Brett Lobsey’s late strike propelling them to a 2-1 win and the outright lead.
They are on 19 points with Workies on 18 and Souths 17.
Workies had their big guns on deck, but coach Andrew Farmilo was disappointed with their effort.
“I don’t think the effort was there as it has been last couple of weeks,” he said.
“We had Isaac (Farmilo), Ehren (Hazell) and Jack (Cruiskshank) back. Everyone else dropped off a bit other than Calvin (Farmilo), they thought they didn’t have to work as hard.”
Without their finishing ability, he said, they probably would have struggled.
Both sides had their chances in the first half, but “no-one could put the finishing touches on what was created” Farmilo said, until a turnover from Souths late in the half gifted Isaac a one-on-one and he made the most of it. They went on with it in the second half, getting out to 3-nil at one stage.
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Isaac was prominent in attack and one of the main instigators, while at the back the new combination of Hazell and Calvin (Farmilo) in concert with keeper Connor Campbell were “very good”.
Tudors then held out a late Kiwis barrage.
“It was tough, the last 10 minutes they kept coming and coming at us.
“(But) We scrambled well. Our defence won us the game,” Lobsey said.
Of all the sides the one that Tudors have probably struggled with the most, Kiwis played with a freedom that made them dangerous.
Tudors in contrast couldn’t really connect in attack, Lobsey said, although they did score first.
But Kiwis levelled just before half time.
The second half was then back and forth, back and forth until Lobsey found the back of the net with seven minutes to go. It was then a matter of holding on.
“We’re winning scrappy games, which is good. It’s what we got to do, win the close ones,” he said.
It’s something they wouldn’t have done in recent seasons.
Anthony Dyson had a strong game in goals. Ross Fraser and Sam Levick also played well, Lobsey said.
TABLE: Tudors 19, Workies 18, Souths 17, Kiwis 2.
