BELLINGEN FC were announced as the Northern NSW Football team of the month for April following five wins from five to start their inaugural season in the Coastal Premier League.

Some sceptics feared the Bats would be out of their depth considering their top flight team in 2021 played in men’s division two but the men from the Shire have let their results do the talking.

Former Urunga FC centre back Henry Gale has taken the helm as the Bats coach and called upon some of his former teammates to get the band back together.

Urunga FC were a formidable outfit in the men’s regional top flight competition but when the team folded many players were forced to move out of the Shire and some hung up their boots to take a football sabbatical.

Players who answered the call to represent the Shire returned to Bellingen and dusted down their boots to return to top-flight football in the region.

With their home ground Connell Park bogged down from the rain, the Bats have been forced to win their opening matches away from home or on the synthetic fields.

Last year Connell Park enjoyed bumper crowds in men’s division two and it could be a record crowd for their first home match on Sunday 22 May at 2pm in a blockbuster against last year’s premiers Coffs City United.

 

By David WIGLEY