COFFS City United Lions have continued where they left off last season, with a 3-1 victory against the Coffs Coast Tigers in a mid-week classic which had the crowd roaring at the Coffs Coast Sport & Leisure Park synthetics.
The Lions won their second match in a row to start the season during Round 3 of the Coastal Premier League.
Down 1-0 at half-time, a dominant second half from the Lions showed they could be the team to beat again this season, as they triumphed in a showdown between the two best sides of last season.
The Lions had the better chances early and seemed the team destined to score the opener.
But it would be the Tigers who would open the scoring against the run of play with a beautifully timed shot from a tight angle in the 35th minute.
The Lions had the better chances in the first half, but the Tigers headed into the half-time break with the 1-0 lead.
United would come out all guns blazing and score the equaliser shortly after half-time, after a beautiful ball into the box was converted by Lorenzo Rigoni.
The match was played with a finals-like intensity that you would come to expect in the Coffs Harbour derby, as the Lions asserted their authority in defence stifling a number of Tigers attacking raids throughout the match.
Like the first half, the Lions created most of the best chances and capitalised again with a beautiful long-range strike from Nick Mallett making it 2-1 in the 73rd minute.
The Lions sealed the game just minutes later with a stunning free kick from Joel Hampson making it 3-1 at full-time.
