It’s a game that never disappoints, the Raiders V Coffs Lions, this time at Maclean Street on a slippery pitch courtesy of the rain that had dogged the Reserve Grade fixture (won by Coffs 4-0). A game that’s not for sheep stations ok, but it felt like it from the get go, Dave Thorn in his favoured periwinkle blue tunic had the sides playing at the stroke of three. The sides probing and testing each other in the early stages, fast ball movement and adjustment of defences from both sides made it obvious that any goal would be at a premium. The first possibility fell to Tim Rupprecht after 19 minutes, the ball had deceived Tom Hauville a Coffs Defender skidding off the pitch, his touch heavy and Rupprecht gathering the crumbs faster than a politician at a buffet. Rupprecth pushed the ball forward 1v1 now with Josh Wiseman the Lions keeper shooting from close range but the shot deflecting off Wiseman’s leg for a corner.
It set the stage for a period of Raider pressure that really lasted for the remainder of the first half and I can say it didn’t sit well with the Lions. Bereft of ball they struggled to contain an urgent Raiders outfit and when they did get the ball turned it over fairly quickly. The Lion’s Lorenzo Rigoni carded on 43 minutes after a series of tackles of dubious intent and from a Jacob Leslie free kick the Urunga side were on the board. The ensuing Leslie free kick fairly distant but the accuracy sublime and Lockie Indian-Manning’s awareness and far post finish clinical, look he doesn’t score many goals but this one sent him on a lap of Maclean street and surrounding districts. The Raiders 1 up at the break.
The second half just as tense as the first, perhaps the Lions with a more even share of possession than the first Nick Lambert making Coffs intentions clear early after he pounced on a ball and fired just wide, and that after just 4 minutes. Enter Dut Garang after 11 minutes and the energy he provides putting pressure on defenders or simply running at the right angles and the Raiders found his presence unsettling. From an innocuous left side incident close to half way perhaps the ball contested a little too fiercely by the Raiders defence, Referee Thorn awards the Lions a free kick. It was a déjà vu moment for me as Aaron Allsop stepped up and hit a cross/shot that floated out of the sun (such is the orientation of Maclean Street oval) and into the Raiders net for 1-1. Anyone’s game now, the Lions buoyant after the Allsop goal and the Raiders feeling the Maclean Street heat but neither side able to land that match winning goal. Nick Lambert came close though in the dying minutes, Tanjil Everret had slipped on the greasy surface and with legs akimbo jatz crackers resting on that cool Maclean street turf all Everret could do was watch as Lambert advanced on goal. Usually a marksman of some repute but not this time as Lee Kennedy narrowed his angle and Lambert fired wide. I think on balance a just result at 1-1, either side might have won it but that’s what makes the Coffs V Lions matches so good and I can’t wait for the return at the Cabbage Patch!
In other results The Raiders Ressies got pumped 4-0 by the Lions and they will need to aim a little higher as the season progresses, the women though delivering an eye watering 7-1 flogging to Coffs ladies while the Raiders women’s Ressies also went down 4-0.
Go you Raiders!!

North Coast Hotel Group Premier League
Urunga Raiders V Sawtell Scorpions Rnd 6
The table topping Sawtell Scorpions may still be scratching their collective carapaces thinking about just what they could have done to thwart the 6-1 drubbing that the Raiders handed out last weekend on the svelte surface of the Cabbage Patch for round 6 of the North Coast Men’s Premier League. They’d played five games so far, 4 wins and one draw, perhaps some opponents of dubious quality for sure but 3-2 over Coffs Tigers and 0-0 V Bombers they most certainly are a different side to 2016 where they were regularly flogged by all and sundry. At the start they looked to have the measure of Paul Pomroy’s Raiders, good shape and adjustment as the Raiders moved the ball around but it was all smoke and mirrors. Jacob Leslie from left back whacked a pass for Ben Dooley to deflect past over an over eager defender Leslie who had continued his run collected the ball and slotted the finest goal that ever left his boot on 15 minutes, Brody Olabarriaga the Scorpions keeper left grasping at the trial of the out swinging Leslie strike.
The Raiders 1 up early at home, the Scorpions blinked and just went back to the business a testament to the new attitude of the green and whites, moving the ball where they could but not really getting their main strike weapon Luke Troy France into the positions that hurt oppositions and I suppose credit due to the Raider’s Tanjil Everrett, Mick McCormick and Jake Leslie for restricting France to only glimpses of the ball and then under pressure.
Leslie gathered his brace on 31 minutes, again chiming in with Ben Dooley, who’d held the ball up and I mean he was stationary, in-situ just still and the defending scorpions closed in eager to get a piece of Dooley but as he rolled off one defender a small gap appeared and Dools sent a well weighted pass for Jacob Leslie to collect and fire in his second for the day in quick time.
It was the Raiders 2 up at the break and the home side looking ominous but the Scorpions are made of sterner stuff this season and certainly possess more quality with the likes of Hayden Purkiss and Xavier Sproule sure to make their mark as the season progresses. Fabrice Wamara so close at the start of the second half thumping a volley off the Scorpions crossbar, the home side making it 3 up shortly after after Tim Rupprecht gathered a poorly hit pass and good enough to find a way past Olabarriaga. The Raiders went on to score three more, Lachie Indian Manning cleaver header for number 4, the penultimate goal for the Raiders to Ben Dooley after Cale Hopper had fired in a cross for Dooley to meet mid-air and twist guiding the ball into the net with his trailing leg completely deceiving Olabarriaga sublime piece of skill, the final goal to Cale Hopper a dead set shoss that one (cross that turns into a shot) for 6. Scorpions a late consolation goal to the mercurial Jackson Petrie who hit a tracer like shot past Lee Kennedy to produce a final score line of 6-1. Good win for Pomroy’s Raiders as they now look to this weekend where they’ll face the Lions at Maclean street in a 2016 grand final replay, kick-off at 2pm Sunday – look you just have to be there!

In other results the Reserve grade fixture was won by the Raiders a hard fought 2-1 win both goals to Joe Pettit who really enjoyed the eighty-seven minutes he played, Matty Marsden, Grant Homes and Jack Myers all with solid performances. The women’s Reserves down 2-1 to Sawtell in a much improved performance and the first grade smashed Orara scoring 11 unanswered goals.
Go you Raiders!