Under 13 Girls – Eastern Suburbs FC (1) v Sunshine Coast FC (5)
A Saturday game ensured two of the shadow players, Lili Danger and Sophie Ryan were unavailable for the match. The 12 girl squad was then reduced to eleven after the unfortunate incident for Annabelle Campbell who fractured two fingers at school. It was wonderful that the girls could have a win for Annabelle who was obviously sore and sorry but disappointed she was unable to play.
Right from the warm-up it was obvious the girls were up for this match. They all had a spring in their step and the talk was excellent. The girls took the field with a solid structure after some positional changes.
The girls started well and immediately went on the attack and pinned Eastern Suburbs back in their half. An early corner gave centre back Vicky Holowko the chance to push forward. A beautiful near post corner from Tamika Banks created some confusion in the box. Maddy Sansby and Vicky Holowko worked together and Vicky was able to force the ball into the net.
The score remained 1-0 only due to an amazing reflex save from Fire keeper Dimity Bucciarelli, who when faced with a one on one attack stood brave and tall and stuck out a strong right hand to save the shot. This came not long after another excellent save from an Eastern Suburbs free kick that Dimity plucked from under the crossbar.
The second goal for the Fire was set up by a beautiful through ball to Tamika Banks who wasted no time in her new position of centre forward dispatching the ball into the back of the net. That wasn’t the end of the scoring as a beautifully threaded ball from midfielder Drew Aiken was collected on the right by Maddy Sansby who drove a powerful shot across the keeper. The shot was too hot for the keeper to handle and Tamika Banks was on the spot to bang the ball home. Three nil to Fire entering the break was a fair reflection of the game.
The second half started well with the girls pressing hard. A left flank attack from Eastern Suburbs resulted in a scrappy goal. The next piece of play from Drew Aiken resulted in what could only be described as the goal of the season thus far. A right wing attacked ensured the ball was sent back to Aiken via winger Lilly Herron. Collecting the ball about 18 yards out with her back to the goal, Aiken controlled, turned and struck a shot with pure venom that thundered into the back of the net – pure class.
At 4-1 the girls were now getting a real taste for goals and with a few minutes to go Drew Aiken got her brace when she was poised at the edge of the box as the ball came out and struck a low, hard left footed shot through the crowd into the back of the net.
This was by far the best performance the girls have put together all season. Dimity Bucciarelli was solid in the goal. The back line of Emily Ferroussat, Jenna Wolski, Vicky Holowko and Macey Edward were brick wall like and ensured that the play started from them as they all calmly and expertly brought the ball out of the back and scrambled when necessary. The mid-field of Ellie Hambly, Maddison Sansby and Drew Aiken covered an amazing amount of ground both in attack and defending. Their short passing game ensured the Fire maintained possession and all the attacks were well thought out and structured. The front line of Lilly Herron, Tamika Banks and Grace Shelley were excellent and the whole team defending started from them. The lines they were running gave the mid-field plenty of options when going forward.
Under 15 Girls – Eastern Suburbs FC (0) v Sunshine Coast FC (5)
8 mins Short cross from Bree Wallace directly to Jackie Doyle who missed an opportunity at goal, the ball just hitting the right goal post.
10 mins Sommer Jordan from the backline defence had a run up the left wing making good ground and finally lost the ball to two eastern suburbs defenders.
12 mins Murphy Sheaf as Sunshine Coast Goalkeeper saved a good shot at goal by eastern suburbs striker. Sheaf was encouraging all through the game with great communication to the team.
13 mins Sommer Jordan took a penalty kick making ¾’s of the field opening up play to Sunshine coast frontline.
14 mins Teyl Danger had an opportunity at goal and sent a powerful direct shot saved by the eastern suburbs goalkeeper.
17 mins Kijah Stephenson made ground past several defenders to take a shot at goal from the far right side of the goal box.
21 mins Jackie Doyle received a cross from Teyl Danger her first touch didn’t make the goal but a goal keeper mistake gave her a second opportunity to score the first goal of the game – Score 1 nil.
23 mins A well placed corner from Jordyn Weckert met Jacie Doyle who tried a head shot just missing the goal.
35 mins Bree Wallace crossed long to Jackie Doyle who in the box who scored the second goal of the game Score 2 – nil.
48 mins Eastern suburbs were on the attack, Murphy Sheaf saved several attempts at goal.
52 mins Audrey Upston took control of the ball made ground and shot missing with Kijah Stephenson in position to take another shot hitting the crossbar. A short goal kick allowed Audrey Upston to pass to Kijah Stephenson once again who scored in the right hand side of the goal Score 3 – nil.
55 mins Audrey Upston set up an opportunity for Jackie Doyle to score Score 4 – nil.
61 min Jackie sent a direct pass to Bree Wallace who had plenty of time to score the fifth goal of the game Score 5 – nil.
Under 18 Boys – SWQ Thunder FC (1) v Sunshine Coast FC (2)
Saturday night saw the Sunshine Coast Fire boys take the trip to Toowoomba for a rather chilly make-up round against the fifth placed Thunder.
The game started relatively evenly paced. Thunder fired first shot on target at the 7’ mark where a driving strike from only 15 yards out had the sting taken out of it with a solid defensive deflection by Page to be safely handled by keeper Morrison.
Thunder maintained possession for the next few minutes making several attacks down left side to be shut down by Fire’s left defence pairing of Edwards and Dawson. Only one ball making it into the goal mouth being a soft shot straight to keeper’s hands.
15’ – Fire midfielder Byasse worked hard to send ball through to Festa weaving through several defenders to push down the right wing only to have the ball cleared by the final defender.
16’ – Fire Attack again down the right after some impressive acrobatic work by Platz down the touchline to place a ball through defensive gap to Festa who crossed a shot past the face of Thunder goal whilst under pressure from their defence.
19’ GOAL FIRE – Some more hard work in Fire midfield saw Festa knock through a nice pass to Rompel who got the jump on Thunder defence to take on the keeper 1v1. A perfectly timed chip over the keeper saw the first goal safely in back of net.
20’– Free kick taken by Page from 20 yards that flew high of crossbar.
Thunder waste no time on the counter with Gibbons showing great tenacity all night sweeping in defence to shut down several attacks.
22’– Thunder cross from right on goal saved by diving deflection by Morrison.
25’– Thunder received another opportunity following a Fire foul that saw a rocketing free kick from 25 yards out just skim over the crossbar.
31’ GOAL THUNDER – Corner kick skims the back post and is cleared by Fire defence out to their right wing. A sudden return cross found Weber still in the goal box to tap the ball home.
32’ Festa injured, leaving Fire down to 10 men for a several minutes, this allowed Thunder to get a couple of shots on goal during this time denied by Morrison.
Second half saw Thunder line-up change with several challenges now happening down their left. Page, Brown and Gibbons all held their defensive line staunchly throughout the night to keep Thunder attacks at bay.
50’ Fire midfield in Byasse and Smith worked hard together all night and manage to feed another clean break down right wing by Platz and with cross to Festa to snap at goal but saved by keeper.
56’ Dawson lets free kick fly from left wing to be knocked clear by keeper, Page fires off a second opportunity from the rebound but unfortunately saved by Thunder keeper.
60’ Threatening Thunder attack cleared by another late gutsy defence by Brown.
65’ Free kick taken by Dawson from 30 yards out on wing was shot deep into the box with Platz running onto it but unable to get a head to it before keepers hands
70’ Thunder make several challenges with the fresh legs of Ingram helping to shut down several attacks in midfield. Thunder finally manage to force an opportunity with a shot smashed only inches above crossbar.
75’ Thunder break through and take on keeper 1v1. Morrison charges out 18 yards and takes it to the attacker with a dive low/right to save the shot.
85’ GOAL FIRE – Defensive error by Thunder keeper saw him handle a back-header outside of the penalty box and receive a yellow card for the effort. The free kick taken by Platz was perfectly weighted to sail over the wall and dip below the bar top left.
87’ Thunder defender Zuyderwyk’s harsh tackle on attacking Festa just outside the penalty area earned him his yellow card. The Free kick taken by Dawson rebounded off Thunder wall with Platz picking up to cross hard into Thunder goals – saved by keeper Mason
92’ Thunder last chance – Fire throw-in back to keeper Morrison, is intercepted by Thunder striker to shoot wide and high across an open goal. Yellow card given to Page for dissent following.
