Northern Inland Football: North Companions defeat Moore Creek in gruelling reserve grade final

After 120 minutes of back-and-forth soccer, the premier league reserve grade decider in Armidale between North Companions and the Moore Creek Mountain Goats was level at 2-2.

Battered, exhausted, and sporting the scars of a protracted physical battle, both teams rallied themselves for one last effort - a penalty shootout.

It was fitting. Northies and Moore Creek had sat atop the reserve grade ladder for most of the year - the former finished in second, while the latter claimed the minor premiership.

There was little to split them throughout 2023, as was reflected in Saturday's game.

So when Companions prevailed 4-2 in the penalty shootout, it sparked raucous celebrations.

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"I'm very proud," coach Gavin Thompson said.

"A couple of guys went down with injuries and another guy's twisted his knee, so we really struggled a bit there with subs. But they fought on, it was a great effort."

As sweet as grand final victory tasted of its own accord, it was made even better for Northies by an added element of revenge.

Throughout the season, the Mountain Goats had managed to defeat them three times, including in the major semi-final.

This, however, did not make Thompson nervous. On the contrary, the veteran coach was more determined than ever to flip the script, and acutely aware of the danger posed by Moore Creek.

"We spoke at training before the game about giving them set pieces," he said.

"They've got a bit of a height advantage ... and that paid dividends for them. Both their goals were from set pieces, which we really tried to limit. Unfortunately it didn't work for us, but in the end we got the victory."

With the hulking frame of Dean Hoy in goal for Moore Creek during the shootout, Thompson elected to have Josh Tumbridge - who had been one of Companions' busiest players on the field - take the gloves off first-year keeper, Miller Lloyd.

"Penalty shootouts are a lottery," he said.

"We've got a quality goalkeeper [Tumbridge] who plays out on the field, so we moved him into goals. The other, Miller, has had a fantastic year, but it's his first year of playing.

"He's done really well for his first year, but we just wanted to put a bit of experience in their for the shootout and it paid off."

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