A STRONG finish has clinched a 4-1 win for the Kempsey Saints against their Port Macquarie namesakes on the weekend as the two sides met in round 11 of the Football Mid North Coast Premier League.
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Three goals in the final 25 minutes of the match put the result beyond doubt after Kempsey were leading 1-0 at half time.
Coach, Jason Fisher, said his team adapted to the playing surface well.
“It can be quite a difficult place to play so it’s good we were able to stick to the game plan and play two-touch football,” he said.
“They have been a bit of a bogey team for us in the past so to beat them by that margin at their home ground was great for us going forward.”
The two sides were locked in an arm wrestle early on with the ball staying in the midfield for the first 20 minutes.
It took some luck for the visitors to break the deadlock with Port Macquarie goalkeeper deflecting the ball into his own net from a Kempsey cross.
Kempsey revised their play after the break and began to move the ball through the middle of the ground.
They doubled their advantage in the 65th minute as Dylan Whalen marked his return for the side with a goal.
Evan Clarke got in on the act less than 15 minutes later before substitute Drew Walsh put the icing on the win in the 89th minute.
Birthday boy Troy Ward was named player of the match.
Earlier in the day, the reserve side won 1-0 to consolidate their top four position on the ladder.
