The Strikers wrapped up the game with two goals in the second half at O’Connor Park.

Brenton Forsyth was the first to score off a header and was aiming to follow it up when he was taken down by a Tumut defender in the goal box, giving Cootamundra a penalty. 

Aaron Kemp took the penalty kick and slotted the team’s second goal to seal the game.

Co-coach Adam McPhail admitted the win “wasn’t pretty” but said the team worked hard in the second half to get the result.

Neither team had scored in the first half and when the Strikers came off for the break McPhail said there was a serious talk about the “sloppy football” the team were playing.

He said the team knew the win was coming following the effort the Strikers had put in through the first three matches.

“It’s a big relief, even though we played well [in the first three games], we’re no longer 0-3,” McPhail said.

“It’s now about stringing games together.”

He said the team knew understood the direction they were headed in, “everyone knows where we’re at and where we need to be”.

McPhail praised Dylan Berkrey’s return to the game who put in a massive effort in the centre.

“He came straight in and dominated in everything, play, communication, tackles, finesse and calmness,” he said, “he’s a calm head we needed and adds that bit of class.”

The only problem for the Strikers is the injury list.

Eugene Tan is down with a knee injury as is Brenton Forsyth, while McPhail admitted he was carrying his own niggling knee issue.

Fortunately, this weekend’s game against Wagga United has been postponed to the Friday of the June long weekend.

“It’s come at a perfect time for us to rest up and recover,” McPhail said.

Cootamundra 2 (Brenton Forsyth and Aaron Kemp) d Tumut 0