Author: Admin

It wasn’t a game that reached any heights of football purity, far from it, a grafting physical affair that must’ve had Storm’s coach Jade Porter scratching his head at the break, just wondering what he had to do to get the ball past the creaking Urunga defence and Lee Kennedy the Raiders keeper. Kennedy called on more than once (along with the woodwork) in the opening 45 minutes and stood tall denying Mykel Watson on 11 minutes who hit the ball as sweet as a nut from distance Kennedy moving sharply parrying the shot. The Storm were playing an attacking style of football that the Raiders were struggling to contain. Otis Barney and Jamie Kennedy causing plenty of angst amongst the Raiders back three running straight and running hard, perhaps stretching the laws of the beautiful game at times but how else do you approach a club that you rarely get an away result from.

It was a round 11 of the North Coast Premier League competition, a round where both clubs remembered and honoured the contributions of Dixie and Rachel Erlandson who so tragically lost their lives in 2015, a shield created and played for between the two clubs since that time and currently held by the Raiders. That grip didn’t look so good in that first 45 minutes though but try as they might the Storm couldn’t crack the last line of maroon defence.

Only ten minutes into the second half and the Raiders pressing the Storm defence. Nathan Parkin finding himself a long way from his central defending position, harried by the razor sharp Aaron Searle. Searle throwing himself at Parkin in an attempt to dislodge the big fella and gain possession. Look it just didn’t work Searle bounced off Parkin somewhat akin to tennis ball hitting a wall I mean it looked really funny, anyhow Searle shook his head covered in 23-micron hair and only minutes later able to create the defining moment in the match. A move hatched in the midfield where Urunga’s Kale Hopper found Searle who was well positioned outside the Storm penalty area with a cleaver chip.

Searle able to deftly flick Hopper’s pass for Cale Simmonds to run onto. Simmonds let the ball run across his body and Nathan Skinner clattered into Simmonds, ball and all so penalty kick awarded and Hopper neatly slots past Felix Sinzinkayo. It was the only goal of the match producing a 1-0 scoreline for the home side. The Raiders certainly looked better in the closing stages, as you do 1 up at home, but the win really built upon stoic first half defending and several slices of luck.

The Raiders will be backing up that effort with a catch up match tonight (as in Wed 20/6) when they take on the table topping Boambee Bombers, what a match that promises to be. Kick offs at 6 and 8 at the Cabbage Patch. In the earlier result the Raiders Reserve grade got up 2-0, goals to Joshua McGovern and Aaron Searle (he had a big night)

Go you Raiders!

The job was ahead for the Raiders last weekend V Boambee Bombers, they’d been dusted 2-1 in the first semi at the ‘Drome and now at home on the Cabbage Patch they would need a win of an even greater magnitude if they were to progress to the big stage.

The Raiders looked good early too, Ben Dooley and the turtle running the show just like a corner shop, Fabrice Wamara a handful at the top so no surprise after Dooley was in the right position to volley in Asama Radford’s cross for a 1-0 lead. It took perfect timing, intense pressure and planets to align for Dooley to steer the ball into the net and what needed to be done seemed a lot more certain 19 minutes in. The Bombers though were not there to make up the numbers and on a through ball Blake Herdegen slipped in-between Raider defenders the ball bouncing off his knee goalward and just sitting up like a meerkat, Herdegen put his right foot through the ball and Lee Kennedy blocked the shot which rebounded to Christian Penny (rumour had it that he’d run the entire distance from Boambee to the Patch for a proper warm up!) well he ran onto this ball as well and slapped it into an unguarded net for 1-1. The strike ignited the Bombers as goals do. They chased with belief and contested with passion, the Raiders responded and the match at this stage was an absorbing contest indeed. For mine the coup de grace was delivered 5 minutes before halftime, a free kick awarded 8 m inside the Raiders half and the Bombers getting ready to bomb, the kick sailing toward the near post as the players converged, Lee Kennedy had a checkered run to block the kick and in it went. Christian Moye the deliverer and the goal had the sides in the sheds with Boambee 2-1 up. At this point the Raiders would require 4 more goals to win (away goals are worth two it’s a bit mathematical) and keep the Bombers scoreless in this home and away format and that’s a real mountain to climb in one half of football.

The Raiders toiled and put the blowtorch to the Bombers backline but the defence of Boambee led by Sam Crampton and Matt Ryan congealed into a tight unit. The bad boy Brady Parker put the issue beyond doubt about midway through the half sliding in on the far post and thumping one past a diving Kennedy for 3-1. Urunga able to hit back in the dying moments via Kale Hopper to give a final 3-2 score line, the Raiders now left to reflect on another solid season.

In other results and news, the Raiders reserve grade went down 2-0 to Northern Storm who will progress to the grand final, the women’s first grade also went down to Boambee 2-0. On a brighter note awards were collected at the North Coast Football’s annual presentation night held that evening at Coffs CEX. The first going to Gaia Malcisi for goal keeper of the year and the second to Trevor Martin for women’s coach of the year, high accolades indeed.

Go you Raiders!

Annus horribilus, the only way Grafton United will remember season 2017. Winless in all starts and it didn’t get any better this past week as the Raiders in a catch up game on Wednesday night at Rushforth Park pumped in 16 unanswered goals and followed that up with an eyewatering 12 last Sunday at the Cabbage Patch, Ben Dooley and Fabrice Wamara both featuring heavily on the scoresheet. Not the best warm up for the final series for Paul Pomroy’s men though. Their opposition in the semifinal, Boambee FC, may not have been tested fully either as they played the other Grafton side who are only a few points higher than zero on the ladder.

The semis though should provide a higher level of competition for spectators, in a home and away format where away goals are worth 2 it will be very interesting indeed at Ayreshire Park this weekend as the Bombers try to do what they have been unable to do to this point ie beat the Raiders. 5-1 and 2-0 in the previous encounters through the season would seem to favour the Raiders but at Areodrome of Ayreshire Park who knows.

In other results the Raiders reserve grade had 9-0 and 7-1 wins over Grafton and will play Sawtell in their first semi that game likely to be at Toormina on Saturday. The women’s first grade also a stirring 1-0 win at the Cabbage Patch over Woolgoolga, Kelsie Williamson-Leslie the hero with a second half screamer from a thousand yards! Bre Martin and Belinda Moore both key players in that victory. They will take on the Boambee Eagles at the Cabbage Patch this Saturday and that promises to be a great contest. Go you Raiders!