The Penguins carded a 1-0 win over the Merimbula club in the opening round, but met fierce resistance against the Bega Red team at George Griffin Oval on Sunday to go down 4-2. 

However, after lamenting missed goal opportunities in the season opener, the Grasshoppers have bounced back in a major way, carding a 9-1 result over the Bega White reserve grade outfit on Sunday. 

The Pambula men’s side faltered against the reigning first grade Bega Devils at Bega’s George Griffin Oval. 

The Devils proved too strong out of their back lines, while menacing attack up front led to a 4-0 scoreline in favour of the hosts. 

The Pambula ladies conquered the returned Bega She-Devils 3-1 on the weekend. 

However, the Devils said it was a great improvement after conceding 11 goals to Wolumla in the season opener a week earlier. 

A spokeswoman said the transformation was already showing as the team comes together,

A spokeswoman for the She Devils said it will be a tough task for emerging women’s coach Nicole Constable to “keep her bum on the bench”. 

Constable was one of the association’s leading goal-scorers for many years and a highly-regarded representative player, but has chosen to stick to the sidelines and manage play as coach. 

“I think a lot of the girls look up to her, respect what she has to say and can follow her lead,” the spokeswoman said. 

Officials said it was good to see teams closing the gap from last year’s competition. 

If the results continue to vary, football fans could be in for a very hotly contested season and potentially some upsets as traditionally dominant teams fall in line with the rest of the association. 

Last year’s senior winners were the Bega Devils in first grade, the Eden Killer Whales ladies and the Wolumla Tigers reserves. 

The Far South Coast Football Association will now break for two weeks due to the school holidays with play to return on May 5.