FIVE-goal hauls from Gunnedah’s United and Imperials highlighted a Namoi Soccer League first grade round where Moree also banged in eight against Namoi Hotel Cougars.

United beat Wee Waa 5-2 and Imperials accounted for Coonabarabran 5-3 while Moree’s second-half blitz was too much for the Cougars.

Moree led 2-1 at half-time but ran away with the game in the second half.

Cougars’ David Jenkins thought his side was well in the game, trailing 2-1 against Moree.

Micah Barnes had scored for Cougars to leave them a goal down.

“A few things just didn’t go our way,” Jenkins said.

“We were well in it but a dubious penalty didn’t help. We had one turned down at the other end.”

Another penalty for a disputed hand ball helped kill the Cougars’ chances for a side where John Lawler, Daniel Spence and Grant Whiting were best.

Moree had some key players out and were expecting a tougher game, team spokesman Ian Thornton said.

“They’d had a good win the week before and we expected a hard game,” he said.

“We didn’t have a full squad.

“It was pretty close at half-time but we scored a few quick goals in the second half.”

Alex Madden, Ryan Bevan, Nathan Davis and hat-trick goalscorer Tom Kowalski were best for Moree.

Nathan Diegenaars and Alex Madden also notched goal

doubles.

In Coonabarabran, the home side made Gunnedah Imperials earn their 5-3 first grade win.

“It was a high-class game,” Imperials coach Garry Sams said.

“Coona are going to be a force the rest of the season if they keep on playing like that.

“They’ve got a good pack of players in both grades and have a lot of potential.”

Michael Kleinschafer scored a hat-trick for Imperials with Jake Hayne and Brett Green the other scorers.

“The whole team played exceptionally well,” Sams said.

“It was a good result for us in a hard game.”

He said next week’s game against second-placed Moree in Narrabri looms as a huge game for his side as it sits just one point behind third-placed Wee Waa.

Brett Green, Brad Newman and Matt Talbot were best for Imperials.

Wee Waa fell to its second successive loss when 5-2 losers to Gunnedah United in Gunnedah.

“They outplayed us in the first half,” Wee Waa captain-coach Daniel Lowder said.

“We did have a goal disallowed but they were too good and led 3-nil at half-time.

“We played a lot better in the second half.

“They did clear a couple off the line but they could have scored two or three more too.”

Best for Wee Waa were Steve Holland, Daniel Lowder and Aaron Hall. Lowder and Jono Baird were the goalscorers.

Chris Schumacher, Adam Budden and Harley Cheetham led the way for competition leaders Gunnedah United.

Schumacher also scored twice in a good team display.

“We scored some good early goals to kill the game off early,” coach Richard Grant said.

“I was a little disappointed with our second half but we did knock it around well and kept possession well.”