Hosting Tumut at Burns Park, coach Isaac Cooper said there were plenty of improvements shown by the team against Wagga United.

Cooper said he was looking to see the team’s formations continue to strengthen.

“As a whole we’re still putting together new formations but we don’t want to peak too early,” he said.

“We tried a new formation on the weekend, we want to play the football we want to play and we need to get in there early.”

While Junee started slow against the Crows, they soon stated their intentions to avenge their preliminary final loss last year.

Neither team was able to find a gap and Junee’s chances went wide or bounced off the crossbar in the first-half.

Keeping the pressure up after the half-time break it was only minutes before Junee’s winger Adrian Merrigan scored.

“Merrigan went one-on-one with the ‘keeper and finished his chance well,” Cooper said.

In his first game for the Jaguars Matt Ward controlled a pass from Ray Jones and beat the ‘keeper for the team’s second goal.

Cooper said the Jaguars kicked up a gear to protect their lead and worked to create more chances but they weren’t able to score again

“We had some late pressure in the second half as (United) created their own chances but our back line stood up,” Cooper said.

Cooper said the team was fortunate to not come away with any injuries.

“I’m very happy to come out with no injuries after a heated game,” he said.

“A few boys put their body on the line and played some good football.”

Cooper was cautious about Tumut and said previous results wouldn’t necessarily help predict the outcome of Sunday’s game.

“We had a couple of close games last year, we’ll take them as they come,” he said.

“You never know what the other team will bring on the day.”

Last weekend Wagga United defeated Junee’s reserve grade side.

With both teams looking equally strong, the deciding goal came down to a penalty kick.

“(Goalkeeper) Robert Fry kept them in the game.”

Like the first grade squad Cooper said reserves were looking to grow without peaking too early.