Defending champs South Armidale United looking to bounce back after a tough start while seven teams battle to remain undefeated

The first full round of the 2024 Northern Inland Premier League campaign was contested last weekend and plenty of goals flew in across the six matches.

Inverell FC, North Companions FC, Armidale City Westside FC, Oxley Vale Attunga FC and Demon Knights FC all picked up three points from their round two encounters.

Inverell were the form team heading into the new season and they hosted defending champions South Armidale United FC at Inverell Sporting Complex where they scored a 3-0 victory in front of a home crowd.

North Companions also won at home when they outscored East Armidale United FC 4-0 at Marius Street Sporting Fields, while the biggest win of the weekend saw Armidale City Westside pile on eight unanswered goals against Norths United FC in a dominant 8-0 victory at Phil Wheaton Oval.

The other match played in Armidale saw Demon Knights defeat Moore Creek FC 3-1 at Rologas Sporting Fields, and in Tamworth at Riverside Sporting Complex the 2023 minor premiers Oxley Vale Attunga prevailed 5-2 against Tamworth FC.

There was one draw in round two when South United FC hosted Namoi United at Riverside Sporting Complex and the two sides were locked at 2-all at full-time to earn a point each.

North Companions are the only team to have played two games this season following a rain-affected round one, and they have won both of those to sit out in front on top of the Southern Conference ladder with six points.

This weekend will be action-packed, with six matches to be played today and one more to be contested tomorrow.

Three of today’s matches will be played in Armidale when Armidale City Westside host Tamworth FC at Harris Park, Norths United welcome South United to Phil Wheaton Oval, and Demon Knights meet South Armidale United in a local derby at Rologas Sporting Fields.

Two games will be contested at Riverside Sporting Complex when Oxley Vale Attunga and North Companions face off at 4A while Moore Creek and Hillvue Rovers FC go head-to-head at 3A.

There will also be one match played in Moree when Namoi United host Inverell at the Moree Services Field.

East Armidale United FC have the bye.

Two rescheduled round one fixtures are still to be played and one of those will go ahead tomorrow when Moore Creek and Oxley Vale Attunga meet at Riverside 4A. The other will be held during the week when South United and Tamworth FC go head-to-head under lights at Gipps Street Sporting Complex.

Today’s Armidale derby at Rologas Sporting Fields is shaping up to be one of the must-see matches of the weekend when Demon Knights and South Armidale United meet for the first time this season.

Demon Knights are motivated to play finals football in 2024 after falling just short last year and they got off on the front foot in their season opener in round two when they defeated one of the competition heavyweights Moore Creek 3-1.

DK led 2-1 at half time after Brock Whittley bagged a double either side of a Moore Creek equaliser, and then Kirk Burton put them ahead 3-1 with a goal from the penalty spot early in the second stanza. They then managed out the game to earn a two-goal victory and pick up the three points.

The win was the perfect way for new coach Rob James to start the campaign. James arrived at the club last year, and after a full season as a member of the playing group, has stepped up to coach this year after former coach Evan Quaife stepped aside.

James is one of the side’s centre backs as well and was pleased with what he saw from his teammates on Saturday.

“We played pretty solid,” James said.

“Moore Creek were definitely the fitter team of the two of us but our older heads got us through by playing tough, gritty football and knowing how to absorb the pressure and then kick on in the second half.

“Our goalkeeper Izaac Quaife had an absolute blinder in the first half and saved what probably should have been at least three goals to Moore Creek to keep us in the game. And when we got our chances, we took them.”

James and the entire Demon Knights team are looking forward to today’s clash against another of last year’s top-four teams when they challenge the defending champions.

“It’ll be a good match-up. Even though East Armidale have lost some personnel from last year’s premiership team, they’ve replaced them with quality young players, so we have a tough match ahead of us,” the Demon Knights coach said.

“I want to see more of the same from our guys. I asked them to compete and contest last weekend and they gave that in spades, so we want to do that again this week.”

South Armidale United only had three players from last year’s grand final-winning team in the starting lineup for their season opener and their championship defence got underway with a 3-0 loss against Inverell.

The match was Adam Ramage’s first in charge of the side after he replaced grand final-winning coach Eamon Hynes. Ramage was the club’s reserve grade coach last year and guided them to fourth place on the ladder and into the preliminary final.

He thought his side were well and truly in the game against Inverell last weekend but poor finishing cost them.

“They’re a tough side Inverell but I think when we get into our rhythm, we can give them a good shake later in the year when we get another opportunity at them,” Ramage said.

“We were in the game. We played it a little bit too safe in the first half and we talked about that at half-time, and they changed it around. The boys got the midfielders on the ball and created opportunities, but we just weren’t clinical enough up front.

“I think we had more opportunities to score, which was encouraging, but the finishing has got to be there and Inverell did that but we didn’t.”

Ramage said that his side would change their shape for today’s game and would play a more attacking brand of football against Demon Knights.

“Last year (Demon Knights) weren’t terribly strong, but they beat Moore Creek who are going to be a team in the top four or five this year, so for them to go out and do that was probably a bit of a surprise,” Ramage said.

“I think we don’t take them easy and we do all the things that we have been talking about and doing at training.

“It’s going to be good fun and I’m looking forward to the game.”

Another highly-anticipated fixture today sees Namoi United host Inverell at the Moree Services Field. The two NIPL newcomers got off to an undefeated start last weekend and showed they have what it takes to match it with the rest of the teams in the competition.

Inverell picked up the three points at home after Paul Leo, Stephen Toleyi and Brad Readett goals fired them to a 3-0 victory against South Armidale, while Namoi United drew 2-2 with South United after goals to Rowan Keeler and David Avery saw them come from behind either side of the break.

The two coaches Damien Shultz (Inverell) and Neil Brayshaw (Namoi United) will line up opposite one another on the sideline for the first time since Inverell beat Narrabri FC 2-0 in last year’s Namoi Premier League grand final.

They are both expecting a tough game from one another in Moree, and on a smaller field at the Services Field, an explosive fast-paced contest is in store.