A very different looking Norths United team who played in last year's Northern Inland Premier League final fronted up for round one of the Sport UNE Football League.
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Just two faces from the team who finished runners-up were lining up for the Redmen again on Saturday but they managed to get the job done with a 3-nil triumph over the South Armidale Green team.
Coach John Edmunds was happy to take the win with the new-look first grade side.
"It was just a good performance from a new team on the park," he said.
"We battled from the start to the finish and took a couple of chances.
"We got that result on Saturday but it is more about just enjoying ourselves and having a run around this year."
They will face East Armidale for round two of the competition.
The Easts side were deadlocked with Armidale City Westside at nil-all at half-time but were eventually beaten 4-nil.
"From what I heard they were very competitive in the first-half but fell away in the second," Edmunds said.
The Sport UNE Football League's top tier is looking like a young competition across the board.
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The Armidale School are entered in first grade this year, and the squad is mostly current students, Inverell have nine new players and the majority of Westside's top team are 17 and 18-years-old.
Edmunds said it is positive just to be out on the field.
"The young players are keen to play and some of the older guys have things to do," he said.
"We were looking really strong at the start of the season until circumstances came and when it got rebooted all our older guys have said 'no, not this year.'
"Everyone should be out there enjoying a game.
"We will take the wins if we can get them but we will enjoy the day out."
In the other matches this Saturday, Westside will play the South Armidale Yellow team, Inverell will host South Armidale Green and Demon Knights will play TAS.