SOUTH Armidale Scorpions made it a hat-trick of FFA Cup penalty plays yesterday when they secured the NIF Cup and a berth in the next round of the FFA Cup with a penalty shoot- out win over Tamworth’s North Companions at Doody Park, Armidale.
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Cody Watts had given the Scorpions an early lead when he struck with a well-taken free kick.
Ben Davis then equalised for North Companions from the penalty spot to make the final five minutes frenetic.
With no extra time played, the teams went straight into penalties and it was there the Scorpions excel, with club president and goalkeeper Richard Morris such an imposing figure.
He saved the first two North Companions shots to give his club an advantage but, when Paul Wright’s shot missed and Davis converted his second penalty of the day for the Men In Black, it was 2-1 in the penalty count.
However Jake Pamment and Sterling Wylie stepped up to slot home their penalty spot shots for the Scorpions to win 5-3 overall.
It followed a first-round win over Joeys on penalties and then a second-round win over North Armidale on penalties as well.
“We actually haven’t beaten anyone yet,” South Armidale coach Joe Campbell joked.
“We’ve certainly done it the hard way.”
Campbell was happy to be leading 1-nil within 15 minutes.
“Then North just kept coming at us,” he said.
“They never stopped, credit to them, and got a penalty.
“But again, Richard stepped up for us. He’s such an imposing figure.”
South were able to celebrate winning the NIF Cup yesterday and the bonus is they continue into the next round of the FFA Cup.
“They play Forster Tuncurry in Forster on May 16,” NIF general manager Steve Griffith said.
Campbell is looking forward to that.
“That’ll be good,” he said.
“We’ve never seen them, never heard of them before. It’s something new.”
Saxon Hardingham, Jamie Wright and Wylie all excelled for the Scorpions on the field while Morris was a matchwinner.
