While football season may have finished months ago, the goals were up and the lines freshly painted at Bernie Steadman Field at Jack Brabham Park on Saturday as two visiting Lindfield FC sides lined up in exhibition clashes to raise funds for BeyondBlue.
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While nominally playing against Barnstoneworth - in a father and son match in the opening game and a Over 35s and 45s in the second - the two Orange sides were made up of players from clubs all across the city.
It's the second year Lindfield FC has visited Orange, with last year's exhibition match a drought fundraiser.
Lindfield captain Peter Fahy said the club - based on the Upper North Shore in Sydney - had connected with Barnstoneworth through Mr Fahy's personal connections with the city and a connection with the McClosky family.
"I grew up in Orange, left when I was 18," Mr Fahy said.
"This all came about 12 months ago, we were looking at something to do for the drought relief, with my contacts through my family and McClosky family so we had the idea to do the weekend away.
"It went well last year and was so successful we were doing two games this year."
He said the club was hoping to make the event an annual one.
"A lot of our guys get an opportunity to come to a regional area people haven't visited," he said.
It's a weekend away, a lot of guys get the day off on the Friday and come down, we stay at the Canobolas Hotel who sponsor the Barnies.
"We want to make it for a good cause, if we can do a bit and spend some money in the community it's all good."
Barnstoneworth BeyondBlue player Joshua Forrest-White, whose side was manning the barbecue on the day, said the outfit had raised nearly $1500 for the year and was hoping to reach $2000.
We were doing it not just ourselves but anyone to speak up when needed. We just wanted people to speak up, to us, to BeyondBlue, to a family member.
- Barnstoneworth BeyondBlue player Joshua Forrest-White
"Obviously there's the mateship and camaraderie that comes with an exhibition game and getting the boys together as well but at the start of the year we decided to change our names to actually do something, rather than just listening but actively doing what we could to break the stigma around mental health," he said.
"We were doing it not just for ourselves but anyone to speak up when needed. We just wanted people to speak up, to us, to BeyondBlue, to a family member."
Barnstoneworth player Murray McCloskey, who had a large hand in organising the games, said the game showed how good football was at bringing people together.
"It's about getting people out for social soccer and friendly soccer well after the season ends," he said.
"It's brought a bit of soccer tourism and sports tourism, quite a large number of people have come from North Sydney."
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Max Stainkamph
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
Max joined the CWD in September 2017, leaving the big smoke of Melbourne to come to Orange, where he stayed until 2020.
