The Narrabri soccer carnival last Sunday was a great day and was enjoyed by the players, the coaches and the many parent supporters who travelled across with their kids for the day.
The wind was a bit chilly early on but it soon warmed up to become the perfect day for sitting around on picnic blankets and fold up chairs watching the games (apparently it was also a good day to curl up under a blanket between two fields and recover from a big night).
The soccer was of a high standard and very entertaining to watch.
Listening to some of the parents screaming from the sidelines was also good entertainment.
Many of the opposing teams, from larger towns, were out of our league, having a lot more players to choose from to make up their teams.
With this in mind our players did really well, often maintaining a good defence against relentless attack and occasionally getting through with our own attack and scoring great goals.
The teams that went were the 9s, 10s 11s and 12s.
Some of the 10s had to play with the 11s to make up numbers (as well as playing their own games) and three players from the 8s travelled down to play with the 9s.
With all this mixing and matching the kids showed great sportsmanship and flexibility and were a real credit to the club.
The 9s played three games then played in the quarter final.
They lost two games 0-2 and 0-3, and won one game 1-0 against Coonabarabran, with the goal scored by Geoffrey Lane.
In the quarter final, although very close, they lost 0-1.
The 9s who went to Narrabri were Sean Pandel, Emily Turk, Geoffrey Lane, Brandon Morriss and Gyle Stasek, and the 8s who joined the team were Ceejay Harrison, Daniel Murray and Angus Legg.
The Under 10s played five games with three losses 0-1, 0-3, and 1-3, one draw 1-1 and a win 2-0.
It was good to have Damien O'Keefe back in the team, scoring two of the goals and Mark Winch scored the other two goals, playing well in the forward position.
Lachlan Leicester and Aiden Bedenikovic have developed great passing between each other.
Playing together they were often able to keep the ball away from the other team.
Matilda Nugent played hard all day and Jack Marshall was strong in the goalie position.
The Under 11s were Simon and Cooper Scoles, Jai Jackman, Bill Turk and Elle Callaghan and they had various 10s playing with them.
They played three games with scores 0-2, 0-2 and 0-3 and played really well despite their difficult opposition.
Bill Turk was hard working in defence and attack, and Simon Scoles played well in goalie position.
They could have played in the quarter final but some of the team had already gone home.
The Under 12s had a very long day, playing seven games in all.
They certainly proved that they had stamina with the effort they put into their last game, which was very close and exciting, ending in a 1-all draw.
They beat South Gunnedah 1-0, won one game on forfeit and lost the other four games 0-1, 0-1, 0-1, and 0-1.
Ryan and Darren Pocock scored the goals.
Zach Strasek and Ben Morriss worked well as a pair in defence and Georgie played well in defence showing potential in attack.
Coach Darren Reynolds would like to thank Kerrieanne Turk for helping and all the parents who travelled across for their support and barracking.
This Saturday is a home game and then Sunday the Moree carnival.
Teams from the 7s, 8s, 9s, 10s, 11s and 12s have been nominated so parents, please talk to your child's coach if you would like your child to go.
There will be a bus leaving at 5:30am from the soccer grounds.
Permission notes will be available today at training.
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