IN a high-octane clash, North Coast emerged victorious with a commanding second-half performance, overcoming Maitland 3-1 in the Premier Youth League Under 18s last Sunday at the Coffs Coast Synthetics.

The contest sparked into life from the opening whistle as both teams displayed pace and precision in their play, refusing to concede any ground in their tackles.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 37th minute when Haileb Campbell unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the penalty box, firing North Coast into a 1-0 lead with an unstoppable shot.

However, Maitland responded swiftly, levelling the score with a penalty just before halftime.

The second half mirrored the intensity of the first, with end-to-end action keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

A magnificent save from Connor Kneale denied Maitland the lead at a crucial stage of the match.

This proved to be a catalyst for North Coast to surge forwards with Taj Bennett and Riley Carniato marauding down the flanks creating havoc with the Maitland defence.

A goal from North Coast captain Loki Marchant proved to be the game-changer.

Demonstrating strength on the ball he weaved through Maitland’s defence to slot the ball home in the 64th minute, restoring North Coast’s lead at 2-1.

With five minutes remaining, Kai Mukawa delivered a moment of magic, curling a sublime free-kick into the top corner to seal the victory.

The crucial three points keep North Coast level at the top of the table with the Edgeworth Eagles.

Earlier in the day, Maitland secured a 2-1 victory in the under-14s, a 4-2 triumph in the under-16s and a 1-1 draw in the under-15s.

By David WIGLEY