Gunnedah FC will have two teams playing on Tamworth District Football grand final day after the club’s reserve grade side sealed a narrow win in the preliminary final on Saturday.
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FC met Kootingal in the preliminary final with history not on Gunnedah’s side.
The team hadn’t been able to knock over Kootingal all year having lost and drawn against Kougars.
In the end, a single goal was enough with Jordan Barnes netting the winner in the 1-0 victory with an impressive finish.
Barnes got the ball wide of the box on the right before beating two players and smashing it low across the keeper at the 30-minute mark.
Barnes was just one change to the team that had been thrashed 6-0 against Oxley Vale Attunga the week before in the major semi-final.
Barnes was joined in the side by Matt Budden with the duo proving the difference for Gunnedah FC.
While Barnes nailed the goal, Budden pulled off a fine save late in the game from a Kootingal free kick.
Other standouts for us were the defenders – Piper Rankmore, Daniel Pengilly and Cody Auld – who just wouldn't lie down.
Gunnedah FC now have the chance to put right what went so terribly wrong two weeks ago against Oxley Vale Attunga.