THE North Coast Under-13s extended their remarkable winning streak to six matches with a commanding 4-1 comeback victory over Valentine Phoenix in the Premier Youth League on Sunday.
The league leaders were given an early scare when Valentine struck first against the run of play, but the response was emphatic.
Tai Korman turned the contest with a moment of brilliance, unleashing a spectacular 25-yard strike that sailed over the goalkeeper to level the scores and ignite the North Coast fightback.
From there, the home side took complete control in the second half, piling on three unanswered goals to cement their place at the top of the ladder, maintaining their advantage over second-placed Newcastle Olympic.
North Coast under 13s coach Josh Wiseman was pleased with the team’s performance.
“The 13s have worked hard to maintain their composure if they concede a goal showing great resilience under pressure.
“We’ve been working on positional overloads in the midfield to transition quickly when we win the ball.
“All of our players are encouraged to play with freedom and strike the ball with the idea of shooting with purpose.”
The Under-15s also claimed valuable competition points with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Valentine.
Raman Dalaf proved the difference, scoring both goals in the first half to put North Coast in control.
The home side dominated much of the second half and were unlucky not to add to their tally, creating a string of chances and forcing the Valentine goalkeeper into several outstanding saves.
The victory ends a two-match losing streak and keeps North Coast’s finals hopes firmly alive, with the side moving into equal fourth on the competition ladder.
The under 14s won 11-1,the 16s drew 1-1 and the 18s went down 3-2.
By David WIGLEY
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