Football clubs across the Mid North Coast took to the fields to play the first round of the Zone Premier League 2024 season after wet weather called off matches last week.
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Last year's champion team, the Macleay Valley Rangers travelled over to Port Macquarie to face off against the Port Saints at Findlay Park with much drier conditions.
It was a high energy first half for the Rangers with Noah Hoskins scoring the team's first goal early into the match.
"The first half was really good," Rangers coach Jason Coleman said.
"I thought [we] controlled the game."
Coleman said that a bit of game time fitness let the Rangers down in the second half with Port Saint's Josef Dowton going on to score a goal.
Port Saints coach Luca Paolacci said his team had more belief in themselves by the second half.
"In the first half [we] were a bit not sure," he said.
"In the second half [we] had more effort and probably in the last 15 minutes we had more energy than the Rangers."
The match ended in a draw with both teams each walking away with a point.
Paolacci agreed that the Rangers were a strong team.
"I think we did well because they won the grand final last year," he said.
"I couldn't play all of my players for different reasons...but I'm pretty happy with the team.
"But at the same time, a bit unhappy because we felt that we could win."
Despite the draw, Coleman still has high hopes for the Rangers.
"First game out- it's always good to get a result," he said.
"It could have gone either way."
Other teams saw more success in the competition.
Port United secured 1-0 victory against home team Camden Haven Redbacks while the Kempsey Saint's first grade team enjoyed a bye for the week.
Fixtures are still to be determined for the upcoming games.
Emily Walker
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
