The nuggetty centre-mid, Alessandro Jafari and his U12s Marconi outfit had a flying start to their EA Sports Champion of Champions campaign on Sunday.

In a team brimming with mini maestros and coached by former Socceroo Paul Okon, success in Round 1 probably came as no surprise.

But their story was just one of many to emerge from the grassroots tournament as a convoy of well drilled city teams headed to various country locations.

For some teams it turned out to be a six hour road trip and their first exposure to the state’s sprawling interior.

The knock-out competition pits the champion teams from each association against each other in one of the most prestigious tournaments on the Football NSW calendar.

And au.fourfourtwo.com was in Dubbo to capture the action.

There were proud parents some nervous coaches, an inspired performance from Harry Kewell’s old club Fairfield Hotspurs and more European trialists than you could poke a stick at when 14 teams took to the park.

Okon wasn’t there to see his precocious charges run onto the pitch but his brother and assistant coach, Klaus, hugged the sidelines as his stars-in-the-making set to work.

“I need to do a bit more dribbling and maybe a few more through passes,” was how the pint-sized Jafari assessed his performance after orchestrating a 9-1 win.

And there were no big heads – just some sober reflection – from the exciting ‘Rory n Corey’ combo who piled on eight goals between them.

The former snared a double hat trick while his good mate came away with a brace and set up three.

When it comes to ones-to-watch it’s hard to know where to start in a team of players that Okon admits “complements each other well”.

The spitting image of his hero - Lionel Messi - Jafari trialled successfully with Real Madrid last year but his parents declined to uproot the youngster and his three siblings.

Corey Cuelho, 12, who has been weaving his magic with Rory Jordan, 12, since they were together in the U8s has always wanted to play overseas.

“Last year I went to England and trialled with Man City, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest,” he said.

“Leeds United asked me back and so did Man City and I think we’re going over in October.”

It was a difficult day out for many of the local lads who had to back-up after grand final action the day before.

After putting in a 5-1 win 24 hours earlier it was a tough turnaround  for the Dubbo side against a slick Marconi outfit.

But striker for the South Dubbo Wanderers U12 Hurricanes, Logan Watmore, showed champion spirit, saying he was better for the experience.

“It was pretty hard out there but that gives us something we can aim towards,” he said.

Team-mate Jayden Miller agreed: “It was a hard match but I learnt a lot off the other team. We need to get more physical and pass around a lot more. It’s something we can improve on.”

It wasn’t all bad news for the country kids, either, with the U17 Titans making it through to the next round. The U14 Pumas will be joining them courtesy of a gutsy 2-1 extra-time win against Mt Pritchard.

Right-back Cayden McGrath was revved up after the victory and contemplating even greater glory for the team as it ploughs its way deeper into the five-round comp.

McGrath said it was a nice reversal of fortunes following their extra time grand final loss on Saturday.

“We needed to redeem ourselves – and we did,” he said. “It was a tough game. We didn’t start off very well and it was 1-nil in the first minute – but we battled hard and everyone pitched in.

“We want to get another win and then see if we can go all the way.”

Meanwhile Fairfield Hotspurs U15s got their campaign off to a winning start in their sixth attempt to take home the title.

“We were unlucky  and lost the semi-final last year so it’s been a long journey for us,” coach Frank Zappia said.

“Hopefully we can make it all the way through this year.”

He also had plenty of encouragement for the host clubs as they take on the best of the best .

“The thing I feel with the country boys is that because they don’t have a vast number of people to make their sides stronger, it’s a little bit of a struggle,” he said.

“But I can guarantee there are probably boys out there in those country sides that are going to make A-League before some of the boys in my side.

“You always get one jewel out in the country that’s going to really succeed. Just keep working, just keep fighting – it’s there for them to achieve.”

For left-back Justin Beazley, 15, it was tough day at the office after going down 9-0 to Zappia’s boys.

But did he realise he’d just faced off against Harry Kewell’s boyhood club?

“Really? That’s kind of cool actually – really cool,” he said.

Suddenly the result didn’t weigh quite so heavily.

The EA Champion of Champions finals will be held at  Valentine Sports Park on the weekend of October 20/21.