FC push all the way in top-of-the-table A-Grade clash

A tight top-of-the-table encounter between the two sides leading the Orange Football Association’s A-Grade ladder has gone down to the wire.

Playing in front of a home crowd on Saturday, Adam Kelly opened the scoring for Waratahs FC in the opening ten minutes, with the 1-0 margin holding until half-time.

The game started to open up in the second half when Barnies FC striker Jack McGregor found space to level the scores, but only minutes later tahs’ Ryan Sinclair hit back to give his side the lead.

The game threatened to get away when Tahs midfieilder Eman Rodriguez was felled in the box. His successful penalty made it 3-1.

But Barnies FC kept up the pressure. Soon after, McGregor made the most of of a keeping error to keep his side in the match at 3-2.

Barnies were unlucky not to level in the closing minutes when a shot was sent wide. Tahs FC hung on to win.

In the other A-grade encounter, Barnies United were too good for club mates Barnies Saints going down 7-1.

For United, Mitch Jacobs notched a hat-trick, Luke Masoti made two, Alex Elliot bagged one and an unlucky Saints own-goal brought the tally to seven.

Saints broke the drought with a Nick Thomas goal.

Team manager Ash Honeysett said it was a “nightmare” result.

“We were short on players and had to get a fill-in to make up the eleven,” Ash Honeyset said. “Ben Parker did really well having just played his own game before ours.”

“We just had no legs second half and they just strolled through.”

After Saturday’s win, the Barnies United side were pushed to back-up the next day for a catch up game against Millthorpe on Sunday, coming away with an impressive 4 -1 victory.

Lockie Peet continued his fine goal scoring record of late adding another two. He was also on hand to supply the last pass to Luke Masotti for a well put together team goal.

Arguably the goal of the game was from Alex Elliott who won the ball on 3 occasions against willing Millthorpe defenders to end up with a one on one opportunity which he calmly rounded the keeper to pass it into the back of an empty net.

Special mention to Denley stalwart Jerome Luke who stood between the sticks to the amazement of his younger team mates.