Joshua Tumbridge earned plenty of plaudits from North Companions coach Jackson Zifodya after their 2-1 premier division win over Gunnedah FC in Tamworth on Saturday.
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Usually the sides' goalkeeper, the man they call 'Tumbo' played in the unfamiliar position of left back.
"We had a few injuries and I didn't have a left back," Zifodya said.
"He put his hand up."
Despite having never played there before, he said Tumbridge did a great job as they picked up their second win for the season.
Cody Thompson sealed the result deep into the second half after they had led 1-nil at half-time courtesy of an own goal.
"I think it was game of two halves," Zifoyda said.
"We outplayed them in the first half and then slackened our efforts off a little bit in the second half."
He was overall though really pleased with the effort, particularly in defence.
In attack they moved the ball well and had some really good passages of play but just couldn't find the net - or the back of it anyway. Zifoyda counted four times they hit the post.
"The unfortunate thing is we don't have an out-and-out striker," he said.
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It was their achilles heel last year and on the evidence of the first three games looks like being again.
Zifoyda said the midfielders that pushed up front did a good job and caused Gunnedah "a lot of problems" but they don't have that finishing polish that a genuine striker does.
And if you can't score, it makes it hard to win games.
Along with Tumbridge, Zifoyda also singled out central back Andrew Beer.
He "played a smashing game", he said.
The club stalwart has stepped up to the premier grade this season to help out after playing in the Tamworth first grade competition for the last couple of seasons.
Wellington Bigone and Diarmaid Smyth have also stepped up from the local competition.
