Under 12 Boys Game 1 – Sunshine Coast FC (5) v Olympic FC (1)
Under 12 Boys Game 2 – Moreton Bay United (5) v Sunshine Coast FC (3)
Under 13 Boys Game 1 – Sunshine Coast FC (2) v Olympic FC (1)
After a couple of weeks off both teams started the game with plenty of energy and the opening exchanges were played at a very fast pace. It only took two minutes for Fire to create their first chance. After some midfield pressure Matt Gaske picked up a loose ball in front of the Olympic defensive line and slipped Jake Debbage through on goal. Debbage struck the ball with power however the shot was just wide. It only took another two minutes for Fire to create their next chance. Jack Williams won the ball from his opposing number and played a short pass to Patrick Simpson. Simpson slid a perfectly weighted pass through to Gaske who rounded the Olympic keeper and calmly placed the ball into the back of the net. Fire were starting to dominate the game and three minutes later they found themselves further ahead. It was Simpson this time winning the ball in the centre of midfield and playing a short pass to Williams. Williams played a long ball through to the flying Debbage who drove the ball into the far corner.
Fire were beginning to put together some great passages of play. Jake Ellenberger and Debbage were finding plenty of space down the right and Debbage created several more chances. The defensive line set the foundation for many Fire attacks. Both Ellenberger and Liam MacMillan linked well with their wingers and Connor Evans and Todd Camm played a deep line allowing a constant outlet for the midfield when under pressure. After 30 mins Olympic struck back with a well worked play down their left finding their #9 unmarked just inside the box. The halftime break found the score at 2-1, however the majority of possession belonged to Fire.
The second half began with an early Fire chance. Alex Patterson played a great pass through to Gaske who unfortunately shot into the side net. Fire began to put together some beautiful passing exchanges. Matt Toye and Jacob Lombardo were involved in many of these as Fire moved out of their defensive third. Evans has been working very hard on his ball distribution in recent weeks and he and Camm started many Fire attacking movements. Higher up the park Gaske, Patterson and Smith combined several times around the opposition 18 yard box as they tried to find a way through the Olympic back 4. On the 50 min mark Matt Toye found space 25m out and struck a swerving shot onto the upright. Patrick Swindles had a great second half combining nicely with Smith. Patrick won the ball several times and made his opposing winger’s job very difficult with his intelligent defending. Smith also had a great second half and had several great opportunities on goal. The game finished at 2-1, however the score could have been more.
Player of the Match: Aaron Smith showed his versatility and played some of the second half in central midfield where he performed very well.
Under 13 Boys Game 2 – Moreton Bay United (5) v Sunshine Coast FC (1)
Under 14 Boys Game 1 – Sunshine Coast FC (3) v Olympic FC (0)
Fire started strongly, starving Olympic of possession and coming close to an early lead on a number of occasions. Jack Beardsley came very close with his shot deflected wide of the post for a corner in the first minute.
Fire had another chance soon after with a well-aimed long pass from Rory Stenhouse, Alistair McMillan put the ball just wide.
Fire continued to dominate possession, moving the ball around the midfield with attacking runs up both wings and down the middle of the pitch.
A free kick was awarded to Fire in the 26th minute following Luke Varga being tripped over just outside the box. A well struck shot from Beardsley got a slight deflection from a defender and found the back of the net. Fire up 1-0.
Fire started the second half strongly, within 30 seconds of the kick off, a strong move down the left wing finished with Varga beating the keeper to slide the ball in to the waiting empty goal, but it was cleared off the line by a defender.
One minute later Beardsley received a short through ball down the middle, danced his way past some defenders and eventually slotted it away for his second for the day. Fire up 2-0.
Fire defence continued to dominate the Olympic forwards and continued to feed the ball through to the midfield. Brok Ross and Rory Stenhouse were both very strong in defence. Luke Poulton and Ewan Gordon did their job well linking in with the defence and attack. Fire continued with attacking runs down both wings, unluckily being caught off-side on four occasions.
Trent Watkins received the ball in space just outside of the box, struck the ball very well, beat the keeper but hit the cross bar. Ewan Gordon found himself with space in the same situation in the 61st minute but this time snuck it in just under the cross bar, 3-0.
Player of the Match: Trent Watkins
Under 14 Boys Game 2 – Moreton Bay United (3) v Sunshine Coast FC (0)
Moreton Bay showed very early on why they’re undefeated with five very large, fast, strong new players. Fire were certainly in for a bruising tough encounter, particularly after just finishing a game 90 minutes earlier, while this was Moreton Bay’s only game for the day.
The first 15 minutes were uneventful, with no shots on goal. Both sides tried attacking moves but the defence from both teams were more than up to the challenge.
The only near goal came in the 18th minute when the Moreton Bay keeper did a long clearance kick that landed well over half way, was headed on by one of their big strikers who was in pursuit at full sprint. Fire keeper Josh Croft did very well to come out of the box and clear it with the Moreton Bay striker at full stretch right in his face.
Isaac Taylor in his first game positioned himself well a few times up the front and had a number of scoring opportunities.
Towards the end of the second half Moreton Bay started to get the upper hand dominating field position and had a few opportunities from broken play in the box.
Fire keeper Croft did very well to save a number of shots from close range.
Fire having played the early game in the heat of the day started to tire and Moreton Bay got the upper hand right from the start of the 2nd half.
At 37 minutes, with Moreton bay sent a cross in from a corner, which with the sun low and straight in the eyes of the fire goal keeper, was not taken cleanly leaving an easy tap in for the oncoming striker.
Fire did very well to then withstand the storm; Brodie Boyce, Ezekiel Hawkins and Rory Stenhouse were outstanding defending against what became a very physical game with their big players making driving runs one after the other.
At 50 minutes Fire had an opportunity, Hawkins sent in a perfect cross from the right hand corner, the keeper was out of position but Sam Fleming’s volley went wide of the upright.
Brok Ross had a very strong game at left back and Luke Poulton had a good game in the midfield.
Luke Varga was very exciting on the left wing, competing well against his opposite number.
The game finished on a disappointing note with a questionable penalty at 78 minutes following an unintentional hand ball from a Fire defender. Fire keeper Josh Croft did well to get a hand to the shot but it wasn’t enough and still went in.
At 79 minutes another penalty was awarded to Moreton Bay following a 1 v 1 with the Fire keeper and the oncoming attacker. Again the Fire keeper Croft did well to get a hand to the shot, but went in off the post.
Player of the Match: Josh Croft
Under 15 Boys Game 1 – Sunshine Coast FC (0) v Olympic FC (1)
Under 15 Boys Game 2 – Moreton Bay United (2) v Sunshine Coast FC (3)
Under 16 Boys – Sunshine Coast FC (1) v Olympic FC (1)
