THERE'S a great feeling in the air about the Kempsey Saints reserve grade side this year as they sit equal first after the first two rounds of the Coastal Premier League.
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Whilst the Saints first grade team search for their first win this week against Northern Storm, the reserves will be looking to make it three in a row after a 2-1 win against Sawtell FC in the first round and 3-2 success against Boambee FC on Saturday.
Saints coach, Luke Flanagan, was ecstatic to see his side perform well against a strong Boambee side.
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"Today (Saturday) we played against the benchmark team and controlled the game for most of it," he told the Argus.
"It was a really tough game and we played with such a sensational team effort - it was hard to pick a man of the match."
Flanagan explained this year's side reminds him a lot of the Saints 2017 reserve grade team, that year being the Saints' last premiership season.
"Today was the best football I've seen us play since 2017, the effort and desire they displayed was akin to Grand Final commitment," he said.
The Saints have blooded some of their juniors and rookies into the reserve grade side with Nick Hughes from U'18's playing another great game after making his first grade debut last week. Briathan Lewis is also playing his first year in reserve grade.
"The new guys and youngsters are really fitting in and looking good," Flanagan said.