The Coastal Premier League (CPL) football competition will split into northern and southern zone pools following the completion of the first round.
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This follows new COVID-19 restrictions issued this week by NSW Health. Under the guidelines games cannot be played between teams in different regions or zones, ruling out matches between Football Mid North Coast and North Coast Football clubs.
Ten clubs play in the CPL, five from each zone.
Football Mid North Coast chairman Mike Parsons said two more games would be played, including matches this weekend, to complete round one and declare a premier.
"We will then split the CPL in two, with clubs from each zone playing each other,'' Mr Parsons said.
This meansFMNC clubs Port United and Port Saints will play Taree Wildcat, Macleay Valley and Kempsey Saints to complete the year.
In a release the Coastal Premier League explained that:
As a result of the New South Wales Government changes:
- Six more matches will occur over the next week, and the team placed highest on the table after this will be premier or premiership winner of the inaugural Coastal Premier League.
- One match will be played tonight, (Wednesday August 19), in Coffs Harbour. There will be four matches this Saturday in Coffs, Kempsey and Port Macquarie, and one game next week in Kempsey.
- After these six matches, all teams will have played each other once in the CPL, enabling the declaration of a winner.
- Four teams, technically, are still in the running to win the inaugural competition: Port Saints, Coffs United, Boambee and Macleay Valley Rangers.
"After these matches have competed the north and south will split into two conferences for the remainder of the season. At the end of each conference, the team placed highest on the ladder will be declared the premier in their respective conference. T
"The new conference competitions will start on Saturday, August 29 and conclude by Saturday, October 17. This schedule will allow for up to 10. Further refinements to both conference competitions will be made in the next week. Draws will be released soon after,'' the release said.
There will be no changes to the Football Mid North Coast senior and junior domestic competitions, although Mr Parsons stressed that all clubs must strictly comply with all COVID-19 restrictions at all games and training sessions.
However, FMNC's continued involvement in the National Premier League (NPL) and Herald Women's Premier League is in doubt.
These competitions involve playing matches in Newcastle, with Football Mid North Coast, or Mid Coast Football as teams are known, being the only club involved from outside of Newcastle.
Mr Parsons said FMNC will be seeking to get special dispensation from the NSW Health to allow these sides to continue to play.
He added that Football Mid North Coast will also look at adding the NPL under 16 squad to the southern league CPL zone if the dispensation is denied.
"We will also look at the viability of playing a finals series between the top two teams from the northern and southern zone once these current restrictions ease,'' he said.
He said input would be sought from clubs before a decision was made.
This is the first year of the Coastal Premier League and despite the problems caused by COVID-19, Mr Parsons described the competition as an 'outstanding success.'
"This is at every level - from participation rates, to the standard of play and the feedback we've received,'' he said.
He assured the CPL would return in 2021.
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