Gunnedah’s seven-game undefeated streak came to a screeching halt in the Tamworth third grade soccer competition, as Tamworth recorded a convincing 5-1 victory at Riverside last Friday night.
The Gunnedah team was well below full strength as injuries and other commitments intervened, while Gunnedah’s fourth graders forfeited their clash with Moore Creek due to a lack of player numbers.
The Tamworth line-up had more size and experience than the makeshift Gunnedah outfit, which tried hard but couldn’t match it with the opposition.
Gunnedah was mathematically well in contention for an hour, before Tamworth repeatedly found the back of the net while fatigue set in for the understrength team.
Tamworth’s Tom Back landed the first goal around the 17-minute mark, before Gunnedah’s Adam Cooper drew level about five minutes before half-time.
A 1-all scoreline at half-time could have lifted Gunnedah’s hopes and confidence, but instead Tamworth regained the lead two minutes before the break when Dale Lewis scored a goal.
Jackson Medlock struck another vital blow when he put the home side ahead 3-1 around the hour-mark, and there was little hope of a recovery from Gunnedah.
Lewis’s second goal came five minutes after Medlock’s goal, before Connor Orman nabbed the final goal with 12 minutes left.
Gunnedah fell from equal-third to outright fifth while Tamworth moved from fifth to fourth.
