Under 12 Boys
Brisbane City FC (3) v Sunshine Coast Fire (3)
The last match of the season saw Fire play on a large stadium pitch at City. City had failed to beat us with the previous games finishing with a draw and a win to Fire.
In the first half both teams seemed to struggle on the large pitch and the extra space. It was a half of transition with both teams giving the ball away too easily. Fire tried to play football but City proved a tough team to break down.
Fire had the better chances and gradually got on top and started to play neat footy towards the end of the half.
Alex Patterson scored, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. It looked harsh as Patterson appeared to have timed his run from his own half perfectly, but a cool finish nevertheless.
The only goal of the half came from the pressure and a free kick, taken by Aaron Smith striking nicely from outside the box, sailing over the GK. (1v0, 26 mins, HT)
In the second half, Fire started well, looking much better than they did in the first half.
Midfield played well and one interchange and a nice combination and killer through ball from Jayden Emery set Patterson away. No offside flag this time and Patterson’s pace and cool finish made it 2v0.
Fire on top but City hit back with a soft goal (2v1, 42mins)
Sunny Law created Fire’s 3rd goal with excellent work on the right wing. Law made a good run with the ball and then 1v1 took him to the side of the box before cleverly crossing the ball firmly across the box to unmarked Matt Gaske who had pushed on. Gaske sent the ball home with a good strike. (3v1, 45 mins)
Fire looked in control but once again, couldn’t hang on to the lead. Two late goals from wide crosses and simple finishes made the game 3v3. (3v3, FT)
Under 13 Boys
Brisbane City FC (3) v Sunshine Coast Fire (2)
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Under 13 Girls
UQFC (0) v Sunshine Coast Fire (1)
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Under 14 Boys
Brisbane City FC (1) v Sunshine Coast Fire (2)
In a top of the table last game of the season clash; both sides were keen to come away with the win. City set the tempo early and was pressing high and putting pressure on the Fire defence with some quick movement on the ball.
In the 2nd minute, a sweaty play by City was held up and the shot deflected by Budd Baublys, however City would find their goal in the 5th minute when the ball was not cleared by the Fire defence. GK Moore-Barnard came out but the ball was placed across the face of goal for an unmarked player to head into the net. (0-1)
Fire weren’t completing their passes and were too generous in giving the ball away to City, which allowed City to create several opportunities. Kaelan Debbage slotted in a nice goal in the 11th minute, only for it to be brought back for a free kick.
GK Kurt Moore-Barnard was being kept busy and made two great saves in two minutes to parry the ball away over the back line.
Fire increased their chances over the next ten minutes, with the first in the 25th minute when Tom Whittaker volleyed the ball for Daniel Cuttler to strike, but City GK Patrick Millard managed to tap the ball around the post to deny the shot.
The rest of first half saw neither team finding the net again and possession was fairly even at 51% – 49% in favour of City.
Fire came out with renewed purpose and direction after half time and Daniel Cuttler did well in the 37th minute to control a bobbing ball and make a great strike that sent the City GK diving to his left to deflect the shot.
However Fire would find their equaliser in the 41st minute, when GK Nathan Foster played a long ball directly for Tom Whittaker to run onto and finish into the right of goal from his left foot. (1-1)
This gave Fire the encouragement they needed to lift and create some more opportunities. Great combination between Whittaker and Cuttler again in the 49th minute, when Whittaker kicked a back heel ball for Cuttler to run onto but the defender forced him over the line.
GK Foster made a nice collapse save and again in the 53rd minute he made a critical save when a 1v1 saw Foster stay big and the shot was deflected off his chest.
In the 56th minute, City player Hayden Russell made a cheeky ‘rebona’ strike and the ball dipped to just clear the crossbar and land on top of the goal netting.
Kaelan Debbage was reading the play well and created some positive opportunities, but also tracked back well to cover in defence. Tom Whittaker received a Yellow Card in the 67th minute for grabbing at the ball after a throw in.
The game would be decided in the 68th minute, with a great through ball from Kaelan Debbage was struck well and half-volleyed by Daniel Cuttler into goal. (2-1)
A battle to the very end, but a terrific win by the team that worked well together and showed determination, integrity and dominance in the second half to secure the three points.
Player of the Match: Nathan Foster – a solid performance in goal throughout the second half with his positioning and handling; a goal assist and a crucial 1v1 that kept Fire in the game.
Under 15 Boys
Brisbane City FC (1) v Sunshine Coast Fire (6)
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Under 15 Girls
UQFC (3) v Sunshine Coast Fire (0)
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Under 16 Boys
Brisbane City FC (3) v Sunshine Coast Fire (2)
With only seven Under 16 Boys available, Fire had to call up five Under 15s in order to field a team for the last match of the season. A task made more difficult as the Under 15s all played a full game as they had no substitutes themselves. They literally walked off the field after their game and went straight back out for the 16s game. A huge thank you to Bailey Wearn, Taj Suffolk, Aiden Castello, Tom Croft and Kurtis Modlin from the 15s.
City had caught Fire on a bad day in the second round to secure a win, and were looking to record only their second win of the season against a depleted Fire.
The first five minutes saw both teams attempt passing games but Fire were on the whole getting used to each other and lacked a little cohesion as they were also getting used to some forced positional changes.
After eight minutes City were very fortunate when a through ball found a City attacker in behind the Fire defence in what appeared to be a clear offside position. The referee assistant’s flag stayed down and the City attacker ran around Josh Wall advancing from his goal and placed the ball in the net for a 1-0 lead.
Even after 10 minutes the game was getting a little stretched as tired legs were taking a while to loosen up against a fresh opponent.
However, Fire dug in and took the game to City. They were troubling the City defence who scrambled the ball away at times.
In the 24th minute the tireless Josh Nisbet worked hard to run down and turn a City midfielder back into traffic in the middle of the field. The ball travelled back to the City central defenders and a bouncing ball found its way in behind the defence and the City keeper was caught high up the field. His poor attempted clearance with his head went straight to Aidan Ward mid-way between the penalty box and the centre circle. Aidan summed up the situation well and met the bouncing ball with the outside of his left foot stroking it toward goal over the heads of the City defence. It looked as if it might bounce over the bar of an unguarded City goal but the second bounce found the back of the net to make it 1-1.
Fire enjoyed their best period of play with good possession and deep raids into City territory. In the 35th minute Aidan Ward nearly gave Fire the lead when sloppy defending by City allowed him to steal the ball in the box but his firm shot was blocked from close range.
With only one substitute available the tiring 15s were rotated to allow them a little rest. They had grown in stature over the half and Fire were holding their own. Only two minutes before the break, however, City made a raid down the left of the Fire defence and despite Josh Wall getting a hand to a low hard shot he could only parry the ball away. A City attacker was able to pick up the pieces from close range to score and make it 2-1 at half time.
Halftime allowed a rest, a few words of wisdom and encouragement from the coaches. Fire kicked with the sun in their eyes in the second half as the cloud cleared and the ground was swathed in the low afternoon sun.
Fire were struggling to get into the game as tired legs were taking their toll. Bailey Wearn had been solid in the Fire central defence alongside Sean Cupiltt, but after a game and a half Bailey, who had been troubled by cramp toward the end of the first half, succumbed to cramp in the 48th minute and had to leave the field.
Josh Wall was called on to make a number of crucial saves to keep Fire in the game.
In the 50th minute Taj Suffolk made a great goal saving tackle but also cramped up as he strained to make the tackle.
The game was slowing and Fire had chances to draw level without success. In the 60th minute Josh Nisbet played an angled ball deep into the box for Kurtis Modlin but the City defender was able to do just enough to prevent Kurtis from getting a touch to turn it into a goal. A minute later Aidan Ward got the ball onto his favourite left foot within striking distance but his rising shot cleared the crossbar.
Despite his brave effort to continue with the onset of cramps Taj Suffolk finally had to leave the field in the 70th minute with an ankle injury. Fire had to play the last 10 minutes with only ten on the field.
In the 72nd minute fatigue gifted City their 3rd goal as the Fire defence opened up with little resistance and the City attacker placed the ball in the net passed a stranded Josh Wall.
City were obviously finishing physically the stronger but Fire were not finished yet and did not allow City to dominate the football. It was the walking wounded as Kurtis Modlin from the Under 15s also had to seek treatment when he found space on the left and was taken out in an ugly bookable tackle.
In the 80th minute Sean Culpitt played a ball forward from Fire defence and the determined Ollie Blackmore pressed the City central defender who turned to play a back pass to his keeper from just inside his own half. Ollie was able to outsprint the under struck back pass and the City keeper was caught outside his box as Ollie tapped the ball passed him. As Ollie was setting to pass the ball into an open goal he was taken down by a City defender to earn a penalty. It should have been a red card as the tackler was the last defender and it was a goal scoring opportunity, but the referee kept all his cards in his pocket.
Josh Nisbet stepped up to take a great penalty which couldn’t have been struck any sweeter than it was. The ball soared into the top right hand corner passed the diving keeper who chose the right way but could not get a hand near it. At 3-2 Fire did not have time to look for the equaliser which they deserved for such a brave effort.
Player of Match Josh Nisbet
Youth Women
UQFC (0) v Sunshine Coast Fire (1)
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