Narwee Baptist Soccer Club

Soon after though Narwee took the lead after Greg Smith put in a pinpoint cross from the right which found the head of Michael Bartlett who expertly directed his header into the net. The confidence in the team was high with some great free-flowing passing movements in midfield evident. Mortdale though did reasonably well against the breeze and could easily have equalised but for a desperate goal line clearance at the second attempt by Narwee sweeper Kirby le Maitre. Narwee were well on their way to victory when midway through the half they extended their lead after Kynan Ainslie collected the ball on the right just outside the penalty area and unleashed a curling left foot shot which flew into the net. This was met with roars of appreciation from the great group of Narwee supporters who had turned up to watch. Narwee continued to push for more goals and indeed added a third goal in the dying minutes of the half via another great header from Michael Bartlett.

Narwee knew that Mortdale would go all out to attack in the second half aided by the strong wind at their backs. The ball spent extended periods of time in the Narwee end and Mortdale had a few chances to score but with the Narwee defence absolutely solid, they were forced primarily to resort to long range shots with no success. However whenever called upon, Narwee keeper Steve Smith didn't let the team down. Narwee had very few chances at the other end to add to their lead. The commitment from the Narwee players in defence in the second half aided by the tremendous motivational encouragement of centre back Cameron Eccleston, was outstanding. Narwee brought on Simon Kimberley and Steve Armytage with about 20 minutes remaining to relieve Kirby Le Maitre and Michael Toussaint. Mortdale were unable to convert their pressure and dominance of possession into any goals with the final score remaining as it had been at half time, Narwee 3, Mortdale 0.

So Narwee secured their second Southern Division Premiership in 4 years adding to their victory in 1998. A big congratulations again to all the players for their commitment, their positive and constructive attitudes, and their good discipline not only in the Grand Final but in the whole of the season as well. Congratulations and many thanks to Captain Craig Abrahams for his great leadership. You have all represented Narwee Baptist Soccer Club with distinction this year. A big thanks also to all those other players who have played in First Grade at some stage during the season. They include: Tim Cummings, Jeff Gomez, Matt Griffin, Michael Henderson, Martin Hopper, Scott Pasley, David Ross, Geoff Shore, Tim Hubbell and Matt Young.

A big thanks to all those Narwee supporters who came out to watch the game despite the very cold conditions. The supporters included former players, family, friends, Reserve Graders and supporters from Narwee Baptist Church. It really added to the atmosphere of the day, so it was certainly appreciated. The black and white streamers were a particularly nice touch!

Narwee to face Mortdale in the Grand Final
It has been confirmed that Narwee will face a re-match with Mortdale to decide this year's Southern Division premiership. Mortdale comfortably accounted for Arncliffe in last Saturday's Final to the tune of 3 goals to 1. So the two best teams in the regular season will battle it out in what is shaping up as an exciting match.

First Grade prepare for Grand Final
Our First Grade team have prepared for next Saturday's Grand Final with a training session at Gannons Park yesterday. Having won the Major Semi-Final, our team has the weekend off while Mortdale and Arncliffe play-off for the other spot in the Grand Final

Directions to Grand Final venue
The Grand Final will be held at Everley Park (Field 2) which is in Everley Rd, Sefton. The most direct route is via Canterbury Rd, Stacey Street, Hume Hwy, Hector Street and then either Boundary Rd or Everley Rd. Parking may be easier to find in Boundary Road though. Kickoff will be at 3pm.

Narwee were forced into a late change in goal after regular 'keeper Michael Bartlett had to stand down due to a cyst on his hand. He was still able to make a contribution on the field though in the second half. Former Reserve Grade 'keeper Steve Smith who was due to play in the game on the field, took over the goalkeeping duties.

In the game, Narwee got off to a great start after Greg Smith chased down a ball up front, was just able to keep the ball in play at the by-line before taking the ball in on goal and scoring in the top corner from a very acute angle. 1-0 after 5 minutes. Narwee through dangerous runs from Paul Cook, Craig Abrahams and Kynan Ainslie were the better team during most of the first half and created a number of other chances. Mortdale as expected, demonstrated some of the skills that had seen them finish the regular season on top and created a few chances at the other end. The Narwee defence remained steadfast. Late in the half, perhaps as Narwee tired, Mortdale gradually turned the tide but were unable to turn the pressure into goals.

The second half was also an even affair. Narwee had a number of chances and striker Greg Smith caused Mortdale all manner of problems. He could easily have extended the lead early in the second half but saw a shot clip the upright. The score stayed 1-nil then for a while. But the crucial second goal for Narwee came with about 20 minutes to go when a long Narwee throw-in from the right caused chaos in the Mortdale defence and in the confusion, Narwee were able to bundle the resulting lose ball into the goal. Mortdale only had limited opportunities late in the game and Narwee might have added a third after replacement striker Michael Bartlett was unlucky to see a terrific shot hit the crossbar. Narwee looked to be heading for a comfortable win but late-on Mortdale were awarded a penalty after a mix up in the Narwee defence resulted in a hand-ball penalty being awarded. Mortdale scored to add an edge to the last 10 minutes. Narwee were able to repel the Mortdale attacks in the dying stages and hold on for the win.

So Narwee now have the opportunity to finish a tremendous season with a Premiership win in the Grand Final to be played on 18 August, 2001. Well done to all players involved in the match. The commitment, good discipline and positive attitude amongst the players was the cornerstone of the victory.

With no plans to reschedule the final round of matches, the places in the Finals have been determined based on positions on the ladder after last week's games. As a result, First Grade have finished second on the table which is a great effort. Congratulations to all our First Graders for a consistently solid season. Narwee have now booked a place in the Major Semi-Final against Mortdale to be played next Saturday 4 August. Venue to be announced next week.

What reserves need to make the Finals this Saturday
With the Narwee First Grade team assured of second spot, attention will be focussed this Saturday on the race for the Finals in Reserve Grade. Indeed the chase for a Finals' spot in Reserve Grade will go down to the wire this Saturday. Four teams including Narwee are all capable of filling the third and fourth places.

Reserves - Narwee 3 - 3 St George
The team really needed maximum points in this game to give themselves the best chance of making the finals but in the end can consider themselves fortunate not to have lost. Narwee started extremely well with goals from Tim Cummings and Dave Ross. Narwee had numerous shots on target but most found the keeper. But St George slowly got back in the game and the Narwee defence struggled to keep them at bay. It was no surprise then that St George got themselves on the scoreboard to leave the halftime score 2-1.

The second half was a rollercoaster ride for Narwee. St George pushed forward in numbers at times in the second half and Narwee found them hard to cope with. St George scored the equaliser early in the second half and after St George took the lead from a free kick soon after, Narwee could see their Finals' hopes evaporating. But Narwee responded with a great team goal finished off nicely by Matt Griffin. In the last 10 minutes St George missed numerous clear chances and had a goal disallowed. A draw was a fair result. So Narwee are still alive in the Finals race although they now will have to rely on other results going their way next week.

First Grade - Narwee 3 - 1 Illawong
A rather uninspiring game but one which was brought to life by a stunning goal in the second half. Narwee who were missing a number of first team regulars had slightly better of the first half and managed to open the scoring through defender Michael Toussaint.

The second half was a somewhat uncomfortable experience for Narwee although the defence via Kirby Le Maitre, Damo Chan, Cam Eccleston, and Brett McPherson (and others) kept strong. Illawong began to create more chances in the second half and indeed managed to equalise. The score remained level for an extended period but the game was brought to life in stunning fashion via Daniel Fordyce. Daniel scored one of the goals of the season after he collected the ball on the right from way outside the penalty area before unleashing an unstoppable shot passed the keeper. The goal was worthy of a European Cup Final. This astonishing goal restored the confidence and Narwee were able to add a third via a corner late in the game.

Reserves - Narwee 2 - 1 Gymea
A great effort against the previously unbeaten Gymea team. Narwee started the game well after an early goal from a perfectly placed header by Matt Griffin via a Paul MacBride cross. Narwee dominated possesion and field position in the first half thanks largely to good interplay in midfield and a solid defence. Narwee indeed had several chances to extend their lead. Gymea had only limited opportunities mainly on the counter which they were unable to convert. 1-nil at the break.

The second half rates as one of Reserve Grade's best halves of soccer in recent years. Gymea returned after the break in determined fashion and wiped-off the Narwee lead via a header from a corner. At a time when Gymea may have fancied their chances of taking control, Narwee remained strong and despite not creating as many chances as the first half, were still able to cause the Gymea defence plenty of problems. The stalemate remained for a while until Narwee were awarded a penalty following a push on Darin Ross. Darin then cooly converted the penalty for his tenth goal of the season. The final ten minutes were fast a furious, with the play flowing from one end of the field to the other. The determination, commitment and desparation of Narwee though enabled them to hold on for an outstanding win. Every Narwee player deserves congratulations for their tremendous performances. Well done boys!!

First Grade - Narwee 2 - 1 Rockdale
A gritty win against a much-improved Rockdale team. Narwee had more of possession in the first half and created numerous chances. Kynan Ainslie saw his bullet shot canon off the upright before Paul Cook later-on finished a dangerous run on the right with a toe-poked goal midway through the half. Narwee extended their lead soon after when Greg Smith was tripped in the area for a penalty. Greg picked himself up to score from the spot. However Rockdale through their speedy forwards were able to equalise after earlier hitting the crossbar from a freekick and seeing a number of other shots saved by Narwee 'keeper Michael Bartlett. 2-1 then at half time.

The second half saw limited goal-mouth action and limited shots on goal. Narwee played out the last 15 minutes with 10 men after fill-in defender Simon Kimberley was forced from the field with cramp. The depleted Narwee defence held-on in the dying minutes with the final score remaining as it had been at half time. Narwee 2, Rockdale 1.

News
You will now be able to tune-in to hear news and information about Narwee Baptist Soccer Club on the 2NBC-FM 90.1 program "Bandwidth" every Thursday at 6.30pm. You can also phone in on 9534 2777 if you would like to ask any questions. See the link to the Bandwidth website a the bottom of this page.

Reserves - Narwee 5 - 2 Lidcombe
Reserves kept their hopes of a Finals berth alive with an inspired second half performance which included 4 goals in 15 minutes. Once again though Narwee conceeded an early goal after a defensive clearance fell to an unmarked Lidcombe player who scored from close range. Narwee managed to hang in there and equalised via an own goal. Lidcombe soon regained the lead through an unstoppable shot from long range. 2-1 at the break.

The first 20 minutes of the second half were a stalemate but the Narwee defence remained resolute. Narwee then blew the game open in a devastating 15 minute period in which four gaols were scored. They included a volley from Darin Ross, after a cross from the right, a great header from substitute Michael Bartlett, a goal from Dave Ross and a clinical penalty from Steve Armytage after Matt Griffin was brought down in the box. A good performance.

First Grade - Narwee 9 - 1 Lidcombe
Lidcombe came up against a white hot Narwee with again some quality goals on show. Narwee welcomed back defender Michael Toussaint for the first time in 6 weeks. The tone of the match was set early when Scotty Luckman riffled a left-foot shot passed the Lidcombe 'keeper. Scotty added a second soon after. The goal of the half came from Kynan 'Megsie' Ainslie who collected the ball just passed the centre circle, beat several defenders and slotted the ball clinically into the net. Lidcombe managed to score with a good goal from an acute angle on the right. 3-1 at half time.

Narwee asserted their dominance over a tiring Lidcombe in the second half with some great goals. Narwee made a change with Michael 'Red' Bartlett swapping keeper duties with Michael Toussaint. Red then went on score some good goals including a great looping header, and a great volley. 'Meggsie' also scored 2 great goals via unstoppable bullet shots from long range. Narwee added further goals including a good shot from Paul Cook.

Reserves - Narwee 4 - 1 Miranda
Reserves reversed their recent run of losses with a much-improved performance. However Narwee again conceeded an early goal after a Miranda shot from long range deflected off a Narwee defender into the goal. However the equaliser came in fine style for Narwee when a good through ball found Paul MacBride on the right who fired a brilliant shot into the corner from a difficult angle. Miranda had numerous chances to retake the lead but were unable to do so thanks largely to two high class saves from Narwee 'keeper, Geoff Shore. 1-1 at the break.

In the second half Narwee showed that some of their early season form had returned with some good passing in midfield, solid defence and good goals. The goals included a bullet header from Darin Ross, a pinpoint Daniel Fordyce cross being slotted home by Matt Griffin and a powerful shot on the volley from Jeff Gomez. It was good to see the confidence back in the team after a lean month.

First Grade - Narwee 4 - 1 Miranda
A good performance for which the Narwee defence received high praise. The result was built on good defence which kept the Miranda attack at bay. Narwee took an early lead via a left foot goal from Greg Smith after a good through ball from midfield. The second goal had quality all over it. The ball was switched across the defence line before being pushed forward to Kynan Ainslie who with a sublime flick released the ball to the centre of midfield before retrieving a further pass, surging forward, and passing off to Scotty Luckman who made no mistake with the finish. Great stuff.

Reserves - Narwee 1 - 4 Sth Hurstville
Narwee found themselves behind very early in the game before then conceeding a second scrappy goal later in the.second half Narwee played well at times with some good interplay in midfield but only created limited opportunities on goal. Narwee lost midfielder Paul MacBride in the first half following a knock in the abdomen. The second saw Narwee get back in the game via a deflected goal from Dave Ross. But Sth Hurstville re-asserted themselves with two further goals to complete the scoring.

First Grade - Narwee 3 - 0 Sth Hurstville
Narwee bounced back with a good win. Scotty Luckman starred in this game with a hat-trick of goals. The first half was an even affair with chances at both ends and Scotty scoring the only goal of the half. Sth Hurtsville had a number of chances to equalise but failed to do so. The second half saw Narwee add two further goals with Scotty Luckman blasting an unstoppable volley on-the-turn and reacting well to score after a richochet in the 6-yard box. Sth had a number of chances but were thwarted by the Narwee defence and by some good saves by Narwee 'keeper Michael Bartlett.

Reserves - Narwee 0 - 4 Mortdale
This game was effectively won and lost in the first half. Mortdale were dominant and with the aid of a strong breeze scored some good goals. Narwee struggled to make an impact. After the break, Narwee improved somewhat both defensively and in midfield but Mortdale added a fourth via a freekick which completed the scoring.

First Grade - Narwee 1- 2 Mortdale
An incident-packed game which had the intensity you'd expect from the top-of-the-table clash. Narwee took the lead early in the game. Scotty Luckman took a shot on his non-preferred right foot which cannoned off the crossbar. Greg Smith was 'Johny on the spot' to head the rebound into the net. Mortdale, however, equalised soon after. Later in the half, Narwee had the opportunity to re-take the lead when Greg Smith was brought down in the area for a penalty. Greg picked himself up to take the kick and coolly scored. However the referee noticed a Narwee player who had, in his opinion, prematurely stepped into the box before the ball was kicked and ordered that the kick be retaken. The retaken penalty was then saved by the Mortdale 'keeper. 1-1 then at the break.

The second half was a tense, tight and somewhat controversial affair at times. Neither team were able to dominate in the first 20 minutes of the second half and only a few chances were created. However, Narwee slowly got on top though and were awarded another penalty which was strongly disputed by Mortdale. However, the well-taken penalty was equally well saved by the Mortdale 'keeper. Narwee continued to maintain the pressure on the Mortdale goal but couldn't score. When the game seemed destined for a draw the star Mortdale striker clinically fired Mortdale into the lead, very much against the run of play. Narwee threw players forward in an attempt to save the game but were thwarted each time. No doubt these two teams will meet on a much large stage later in the season.

Reserves - Narwee 2 - 4 Arncliffe
Another game which got away from Narwee. Narwee took the lead early after Dave Ross found himself free on goal after a mix-up in the Arncliffe defence. Arncliffe soon equalised though before Tim Cummings restored the Narwee advantage. Arncliffe were persistent and again equalised to leave the half time score 2-2. The second half was a tight affair with Narwee seeming to have slightly better of the play but failing to score. The deadlock was broken when a speculative chip from Arncliffe flew over the Narwee keeper into the net. Arncliffe added a fourth towards the end which effectively sealed the result.

First Grade - Narwee 2 - 1 Arncliffe
Narwee secured their second tough win in the weekend with a gritty performance against a fired-up Arncliffe side. Narwee took an early lead after Steve Armytage finished off a deceptive run with a perfectly placed chip which found the top corner of the net for his first goal of the season. 1-nil at the break. The second half saw the intensity rise a notch or two especially after Arncliffe scored the equaliser. The match remained level for an extended period until Steve Smith for Narwee collected the ball on the edge of the area, took it to the by-line and chipped a perfect cross over the keeper to be smashed home by Scotty Luckman. Arncliffe had numerous chances to equalise but couldn't do so. The Narwee winning streak continues…

Reserves - Narwee 3 - 5 Cronulla
Narwee welcomed back Martin Hopper from a back injury for this match. The game was a bit of a struggle for Narwee especially in the first half when wave after wave of Cronulla attack saw them take a 3-nil lead into the break. The first 20 minutes of the second half were equally trying for Narwee with Cronulla extending their lead to 4-0 through a Narwee own-goal before Narwee dragged a goal back through stand-in striker Michael Bartlett. Cronulla added a fifth and but for a goal-line clearance from Steve Armytage, could have added to it. Narwee finally got their act together later in the game to add two further goals including a stunning left-foot chip from Jeff Gomez. The score could have been closer with Narwee shots hitting the post late in the game.

First Grade - Narwee 3 - 1 Cronulla
After a number of relatively easy victories, Narwee found themselves needing to graft out their win. Their were very few openings in the first half for either team but Narwee were able to take the lead none-the-less through Scotty Luckman. The second half saw Narwee create more chances but Cronulla managed to equalise midway through the half. Narwee responded well and two quality goals from Jeff Gomez late in the game for Narwee sealed the victory.

Reserves - Narwee 3 - 2 Engadine
Despite the victory the team, by their own admission, struggled in many departments of the game. Narwee started the game with 3 full backs and found the Engadine attack a handful early-on. A class goal from Jeff Gomez after good lead-up work saw Narwee lead 1-nil at the break. Narwee extended their lead in the second half via an unstoppable left-foot shot from Matt Griffin. However, Engadine brought a goal back soon after. Another goal from Jeff Gomez for Narwee reinstated the two goal lead before Engadine scored a second rather scrappy goal. Engadine continued to press but Narwee were able to hold on for a much-needed victory

First Grade - Narwee 6 - 0 Engadine
Narwee continued their long winning streak with another good performance. The game marked Steve Smith's first game of the season and he joined the team in midfield. Narwee opened the scoring early through Scotty Luckman. The Engadine attack didn't trouble the Narwee defence too often and Narwee were able to add further goals via Greg Smith and TIm Cummings. The scoreline could easily have been different, with both teams missing penalties in the final minutes.

News
In other news, it was great to see former Narwee striker, Owen Rumsey at the game on Saturday. Owen 'retired' from soccer last year after many year's service to the Club and has been battling health problems in the last six months. Look forward to seeing Owen at many more games this year.

Reserves - Narwee 1 - 1 St George
The consensus among the Narwee players at the end of this game was "We should have won this one". Narwee were the dominant side throughout most of the match with St George only having a very limited number of chances. However St George took the lead after a Narwee defender in an attempt to clear the ball, headed the ball over the Narwee keeper into the goal. Narwee responded by creating a number of openings via good wide play from Matt Griffin and Paul MacBride. But it remained 1-nil until the second half. Narwee asserted their domination in the second half and but for the post could have equalised early on. However midway through the half, Tim Cummings took the ball in the midfield beat a number of players and the keeper to score the equaliser. Narwee pressed hard for the winner but had to settle for a draw.

First Grade - Narwee 7 - 0 Illawong
An obviously dominant performance for the team's fifth win in a row. The tone of the match was set in the first half through goals from Greg Smith (2) and a quality strike from Paul Cook from long range. Narwee made the most of the space afforded to them in midfield and despite missing key players such as Mikey T and Cam, never looked like losing. A couple of good saves from Narwee Keeper Michael Bartlett thwarted any Illawong attacks. The second half saw more Narwee chances created with Greg Smith picking up his third goal and Scotty Luckman and Meggsie also adding other goals. The highlight of the match was when the Narwee keeper (a former striker), instead of picking up the ball in his box, dribbled up field, beating up to 5 players, before being thwarted when he could easily have scored. Bad luck Red, maybe next time!

Reserves - Narwee 1 - 3 Gymea
This was always going to be a tough game against the defending Premiers. Narwee were shell-shocked when, in their opening attack of the game, Gymea took the lead in the first minute. Narwee responded well though with dangerous runs from Dave Ross and Tim Cummings, and good link-up play between Greg Lawrence and Paul MacBride. Gymea created a number of chances but couldn't add to their lead and Narwee could easily have equalised but for the post.

A ten minute period in the second half decided the outcome of the match after a low shot from Gymea squeezed under the Narwee keeper and a bullet foot shot minutes later left Narwee trailing 0-3. But Narwee pulled a goal back when Tim C scored from a well executed free kick move. Narwee threw players forward in an attempt to save the game but frustratingly, were unable to get any further goals

First Grade - Narwee 6 - 2 Rockdale
A fourth win in a row for First Grade in a game that never really reached any great heights, although Scotty Luckman continued his rich vain of scoring form with two goals in the first half. Rockdale belied their lowly rank on the table by proving difficult to breakdown and indeed, they were the next to score to make the score 2-1. But Narwee gradually took control of the match in the second half with a further 4 goals including a "route-one" goal from Greg Smith from a Michael Bartlett kick-out. Rockdale scored a consolation goal late-on.

In other news, Tim Hubbell is expected to return from a kneee injury in the next 2 weeks and Matty Young is hoping to be back on the field after his ankle injury within 3 weeks. Greg Shuker is still suffering from the flu and will be out for a further 2 weeks.

Reserves - Narwee 3 - 1 St Matthews
A solid performance in this North/South crossover game. Narwee welcomed Brett McPherson for his first game of the season. Narwee dominated the first half against a relatively young St Matthews side. Numerous chances were created but a number of shots were saved well by the St Matthews 'keeper. The breakthrough for Narwee came when Dave Ross beat a number of defenders before slotting the ball into the net. 1-nil at the break.

The second half was a much tighter affair with St Matthews creating more chances and troubling the Narwee defence at times but were thwarted by saves from Geoff Shore. But Narwee extended their lead when a cross from the left by Matty Griffin found Darin Ross who, with his back to goal, headed the ball over the keeper into the net. But soon after a St Matthews' attacker found himself free on goal and beat the keeper to reduce the Narwee lead. At a time when Narwee nerves may have begun jangling, a free flowing Narwee passing movement found Jeff Gomez in the area who danced passed a defender and finished in style to complete the scoring.

First Grade - Narwee 8 - 0 St Matthews
Despite the fact that Narwee dominated the game, the score was somewhat flattering given that the speedy St Matthews forwards created a number of chances. However, between the equally swift Narwee defence and keeper Michael Bartlett, Narwee were able to keep them at bay. The first half saw Narwee score some spectacular goals including a left-foot volley by Jeff Gomez and a stunning swerving shot from Craig Abrahams returning after a rib injury. The second half saw Narwee press forward in numbers against a tiring St Matthews with Tim Cummins scoring a double and other goals coming from Greg Smith, Kynan (Meggsy) Ainslie and Paul Cook. First Grade are building some good momentum as the season progresses.

Reserves - Narwee 7 - 1 Miranda
Best performance of the season by far in less than ideal weather. The match also saw the return of Scott Pasley to the team. The tone of the match was set early with Narwee scoring twice through Dave Ross and Jeff Gomez. The second goal one from the top shelf. The ball was cleared from defence to Paul MacBride who with a sublime flick released Darin Ross who crossed to Jeff Gomez who danced around the keeper to score. Miranda did trouble the Narwee defence at times but without seriously threatening the goal. 2-nil at the break. The second half saw Narwee gain control of the match with an early third goal but Miranda did throw themselves a lifeline with a nice left foot goal. However Narwee through a perfect headed goal from Dave Ross and 2 further goals from Jeff Gomez, sealed the victory. Goals from Darin Ross and Greg Smith put the icing on the cake.

First Grade - Narwee 5 - 4 Miranda
A game of fluctuating fortunes which could have gone either way. Narwee opened the scoring after a Michael Bartlett bullet cannoned against the crossbar, with the resulting rebound being proficiently headed over the keeper into the net by Matt Griffin. However, Miranda responded with a somewhat scrappy equaliser. Soon after, Paul Cook regained the lead for Narwee with a cracking goal from long range which found the top right corner. But Miranda again equalised to the leave the score 2-2 at half time. The second half was a pulsating affair with both teams trading a couple of goals. Miranda were buoyed when they took the lead for the first time in the match at 4-3 only to have Narwee respond seconds later with an equaliser. Even at 4-4 midway through the second half you thought there were still more goals in the game and sure enough, Paul Cook after a dangerous run was tripped by a Miranda defender in the area for a penalty. The kick was coolly converted by Greg Smith to leave the final score Narwee 5, Miranda 4.

Reserves - Narwee 0 - 1 Sth Hurstville
Both teams were affected by injuries and illness on the weekend, but considering the tough opposition, the teams faired well. In the first half of Reserves, Sth Hurstville ran with a strong breeze but were not able to dominate the run of play. The number of chances and the overall extent of possession was shared between the two teams, with Narwee having a limited number of chances, including one shot from Tim Hubbell which skimmed the crossbar. However at the other end a Sth Hurstville through ball caught the Narwee defence napping and a Sth Hurstville striker slotted the ball past the keeper to put them into the lead. 1-nil to Sth at the break. Unfortunately, the first half saw Matt Young taken off with an ankle injury.

Precautionary X-rays cleared Matty of any fracture but he will be out-of-action for 3-4 weeks. With the breeze in the second half Narwee had slightly better of the territory but couldn't quite convert their chances. A reshuffle in the team and the injection of Greg Smith saw more chances created but two shots over the bar were as close as Narwee came to an equaliser. A good performance though given the circumstances. Thanks to Cam, Greg Smith and Kirby for filling in.

First Grade - Narwee 2 - 1 Sth Hurstville
A game that had just about everything. Sth Hurstville again ran with the breeze in the first half and looked dangerous at times but found the defence of Narwee hard to break through. However, Sth Hurstville opened the scoring when a clearance from a Narwee defender fell to the feet of a Sth Hurstville striker who clinically scored in the top corner. Later in the half a weaving run from Paul Cook for Narwee ended in him being brought down in the area for a penalty. Scotty Luckman stepped up to take the kick but had it saved spectacularly by the Sth Hurstville keeper. Sth Hurstville could easily have scored a second goal in the half but for a breathtaking flying save from Narwee Keeper Michael Bartlett.1-nil then at the break.

The second half was as eventful as the first. Narwee had a greater share of possession and territory but Sth always looked dangerous in attack. The Narwee defence remained resolute. Narwee created a number of openings via "Route one" football with Greg Smith chasing long kick outs from the Keeper with the aid of the breeze. The equaliser came in this fashion with both Greg and Scotty putting pressure on the Sth defence and in the confusion the ball was bundled into the net from close range. The eventual winner came in a similar fashion when Greg Smith dispossessed a Sth defender out wide and ran the ball in to goal before slamming the ball in from an acute angle. On the back of a number of penalties Sth responded and in the final minutes were awarded a penalty. However, the kick was missed and Narwee went on to win the game.

Reserves - Narwee 2 - 0 Mortdale
A gritty win for the team. The team welcomed back sweeper Damo Chan and saw a first appearance of the season for Jeff Gomez. A tight first half saw both teams struggle to convert the limited number of chances. Narwee did appear the more likely to score though. Indeed the breakthrough came for Narwee when Darin Ross rose high from a corner to head the ball into the net in a 50-50 challenge with the goalkeeper. Despite some Mortdale protests, the goal was awarded. 1-nil then at the break. The second half saw Narwee dominate the game in patches, and create more chances only to be thwarted by the Mortdale keeper. The crucial second goal for Narwee came midway through the second half when Tim Cummings surged through the centre, rounded the keeper and sidefooted the ball in. Mortdale responded by sending more players forward and despite creating more openings, couldn't get on the scoreboard.

First Grade - Narwee 1 - 2 Mortdale
As in the Reserves, only a limited number of chances were created with Mortdale having slightly more of possession and a number of chances from free-kicks. Nil-nil at half time. Mortdale were first to get on the scoreboard early in the second half. Narwee responded via Michael Bartlett. "Red" received a lobbed pass on the right, lost his marker and slotted the ball past the keeper for the Narwee equaliser. However, shortly after, a flowing Mortdale passing move finished with the ball in the back of the Narwee net. In the last 20 minutes, Narwee pushed hard for the equaliser and Mortdale were under the pump. Surging runs from the back by Greg Smith caused problems for the Mortdale defence but the post and a goal line clearance denied Narwee that all important goal which would have earned a point. But it was not to be.

Reserves - Narwee 5 - 0 Arncliffe
A tremendous performance by our team. The first half followed a similar pattern to that of the first game with Narwee creating numerous chances but failing to convert most of them. However, late in the half a dangerous cross from the right was met with a lunging foot from Darin Ross who put it passed the keeper to leave Narwee leading 1 nil at the break. Early in the first half, Tim Cummings was brought down in the penalty area following a mazey run through the Arncliffe defence. Tim picked himself off the deck to slot home the penalty. Narwee added a further 3 goals including a bullet header by Darin Ross from a pinpoint Paul MacBride cross. After bringing on a number of fresh players Arncliffe did create a number of chances in the last 20 minutes but Narwee in-the-end were able to keep a clean sheet.

First Grade - Narwee 2 - 2 Arncliffe
A very tight encounter this one. Narwee found the Arncliffe defence and midfield hard to break down in the first half and similarly Arncliffe failed to get on the scoreboard thanks in part to a high class flying save from Narwee Keeper Geoff Shore. The second half saw the game liven-up with Arncliffe taking the lead with a speculative shot which found the top corner. Narwee responded positively to the Arncliffe goal and managed to equalise soon after thanks to Scotty Luckman. However with about 15 minutes to go, Arncliffe regained the lead with a header from a set-piece. With maximum points set to go to Arncliffe, a long ball from Narwee into the penalty area in injury time found the head of an Arncliffe defender who diverted the ball past his own Keeper into the net. Final score, 2-2.

On the injury front, First Grade captain, Craig Abrahams fell awkwardly in a tough tackle in the second half and was forced from the field with a rib injury. X-rays subsequently cleared him of any fractures but he will miss the next 3 games with rib cartilage damage. All the best for the recovery Craig.

Reserves - Narwee 0 - 1 Cronulla
A game which could be described as character-building. On a very warm day Narwee had the better of possession and chances during the first half but couldn't quite convert this into goals. The second half saw some good Narwee interplay at times, but with the wind behind them, Cronulla had more of the play and subsequently, more chances but were thwarted a number of times by some fantastic saves by our Goalkeeper Michael Bartlett. Just as the game appeared headed for a draw, a Cronulla forward nipped-in and scored the only goal of the game from a corner. Given that it was the first game and that we have so many new players, it was a good performance and means there's plenty to build on for the remainder of the season.

First Grade - Narwee 6 - 3 Cronulla
A game where Narwee were able to convert most of their chances into goals with most of these goals being scored by Scotty Luckman. The tone of the game was set early with Narwee scoring twice in the first 10 minutes and dominating the first half. Cronulla got back in the game with a goal just after half time but Narwee responded with their third goal, just seconds later which halted the Cronulla comeback. The addition of a further three Narwee goals sealed the game. Cronulla added a couple of consolation goals late on. All-in-all a good start.