Round Seven of the NPL saw the Fire first team take on Northern Fury at Stockland Stadium, while the Under 18 Boys had a bye. The Junior teams all travelled away to play friendly talent identification games.
First Team:
Sunshine Coast Fire defeated Northern Fury 2-1 at Stockland Stadium.
The Fire started strong, opening the scoring within the first minute of play.
A fantastic through-ball from Paul Arnison set Nico Bechar up down the left-hand side. His left-footed cross evaded the Fire forwards, only for the ball to ricochet off a Fury defender into the path of Leon Dwyer. He tapped the ball into the open goal from three yards.
The Fire players continued to dominate possession throughout the first-half and create opportunities which they were unable to convert to goals. In the 33rd minute, Nico Bechar found himself 1v1 with the Fury goal keeper, however a good recovery-tackle from a Fury defender prevented him from scoring.
The Fury made a much more aggressive start to the second-half, aiming to get the ball into the Fire box at every opportunity.
In the 49th minute the Fury’s Reyze Kelly got the ball free on the left-hand side. He hung-up a perfectly weighted ball to the far post, where Jake Navarro headed the ball into the net.
The Fire responded by pressuring the Fury, trying to create opportunities to score. This paid off in the 80th minute when pressure from Chris Toovey forced a defensive mistake from the Fury. Nico Bechar raced through at goal and finished with a shot in the bottom left-hand corner.
“We were pleased to pick up the three points,” A’herne-Evans said.
“I thought we thoroughly deserved the victory.”
“The mental strength the players showed to find that inner drive and get the winning goal was fantastic.”
Under 18 Girls:
Sunshine Coast Fire defeated Redlands United 3-0.
Coach Francis Lynch said the Fire started with intent and purpose, playing into and around Redlands’ 18-yard box. Mia Radda and Samara Christmas both made superb volley attempts which the Redland goal keeper was forced to save.
The Fire’s first goal came after Chloe Hobelt played a quality diagonal ball into the passing lane, allowing Isabel Hall to square the ball across to Sienna Tucker. She glanced the ball into the six-yard box for Summer McGladrigan to side-foot into the goal.
Redlands was forced into playing long-balls into the Fire defence which allowed Keira Burgess, Els van Hooijdonk, Mia Phelps and Madison Nugent to play out with limited pressure. The opposition forced its way into the Fire’s 18-yard box but were unable to score for the remainder of the first-half.
Redlands started the second-half with high line pressure forcing goal keeper Savanna Bowtell-Harris to save long-range efforts. A Redlands goal keeper mistake allowed Tucker to finish bringing the score to two-nil to the Fire.
The girls continued to attack Redlands from the flanks which created space for mid-fielders Amy McGlynn, Claire Glackin, Martha Bensted and Kayla Moore to play short first-time killer passes to the forwards.
The Fire’s final goal came when Samara Christmas squared the ball across the six-yard box for Lucy Froud to shoot into the back post.
“The girls played well, however we need to maintain the quality and speed of pass for the entire game,” Lynch said.
Under 16 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire lost to Brisbane City 3-4.
Assistant coach Jarrod Rodios said after a confidence breaking 3-0 defeat in their previous game to Olympic, the Fire Boys were ready to use this ‘friendly’ game against Brisbane City to find some form before they took on first placed Redlands in their next game.
The Fire started with fast ball movement, great wing-play and high-pressure defence which kept Brisbane City in its own half for the first 10 minutes. Matt Forde and Nik Taylor were threats down the left-wing. They terrorised their opposing numbers and whipped multiple dangerous crosses, which just lacked the final touch into the net to put the Fire on the score board.
The Fire continued to create chances early and press high up the field but fell victim to weak defending on the counter-attack, which had been an issue in previous games.
City finally broke through the Fire’s high-pressure defence and charged up the field at a pace. The quick counter left a City player in acres of space as he drove the ball home from just outside the box.
After completely dominating possession and the game and then finding themselves 1-0 down on the scoreboard, the Fire players’ intensity dropped off. They soon found themselves 2-0 down as some quick feet from a City player and low-drive across the goal left the boys with a lot of work to do.
The Fire fought back and scored due to some great attacking play and individual brilliance from Luke Devitt, who was playing in the striker role instead of his preferred attacking midfielder position. He beat multiple defenders before hitting a deflected-drive which sailed past the City goal keeper.
The Fire entered the second-half knowing it had the talent and ability to come back and put the game to bed. The boys showed their desire to win, again dominating the game and creating attack after attack. Unfortunately, miscommunication between defender and goal keeper left the City striker with a blasted close-range shot to extend their lead 3-1.
Not willing to give up, the Fire kept attacking as it pinned City in its own half. Some great build-up play around the City 18-yard box was brought to a halt as the City goal keeper blatantly took down Luke Devitt. The Fire was rewarded with a penalty which Devitt calmly slotted home, bringing the score to 3-2.
A tactical change, moving attacking midfielder Max Adey out to the wide left position, proved a great move. His perfectly timed run finished a precision cross from close range and brought the score to 3-3.
The Fire now had all the momentum but little time left in the game. The players continued to attack but a tactical-foul left City with what seemed like an impossible free-kick from a long way out. The City player drove the ball and it dipped and swerved its way into the back of the net, leaving the Fire stunned again. With too little time to come back the Fire lost the game 4-3 to Brisbane City.
Under 15 Boys:
Sunshine Coast defeated Brisbane City 2-0.
The Fire started with a bang, playing great one and two touch football with a chance opening up for Cameron Nairn in the first five minutes. A cross from the sideline floated to his head and was unlucky to see the ball go over the bar.
The Fire continued creating opportunities in the first-half. Forward Sean De Chastel was unlucky to have his top-corner headed effort saved by the City keeper.
The first-half closed scoreless; however the Fire had dominated possession and looked to be the most likely team to create a goal.
The Fire again took control of possession at the start of the second half, and in the 45th minute the boys were awarded a penalty after Timi Adu was taken down in the box.
Adu took the penalty and managed to slot the ball in the back of the net to bring the score to 1-0 for the Fire.
Ten minutes later Tom Swain received the ball on the counter-attack, carried it forward and managed to place a perfect precision-pass through to a great diagonal run from Sean De Chastel. De Chastel took a touch and slid the ball past the goal keeper on his far side. The score was now 2-0 to the Fire.
The Fire turned down the heat a little for the rest of the game, however they held strong within defence.
Assistant Coach John Whiting said 2-0 was a fair result however the Fire could have converted more of its chances.
Under 14 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire defeated Brisbane City 4-0.
Coach Ben Cahn said the first-half of the game was a scrappy affair on a below average playing surface.
“The game started at a tempo and with quality that matched its “friendly” status, with neither side taking control,” Cahn said.
“The 0-0 half-time score line was an honest reflection on the game.”
The Fire started brightly in the second half, keeping the ball for long periods and gaining control of the game.
Jack Bowen broke the deadlock with header from a brilliant Kobe Fuller corner. The Fire took a deserved lead and the game did not look in doubt from there on.
Fuller then produced a moment of brilliance; he spotted the City goal keeper off his line and shot a superb driven-chip in to the top corner from about 30 yards out to double the lead.
Abe Reeves drove down the line at blistering speed before driving the ball in to the top-corner for the third. Ty Dawson deservedly grabbed the fourth after an afternoon of hard work.
“All in all, it was a very comfortable performance from the Fire,” Cahn said.
“While we did not have to step out of second gear, we did enough to dominate the game and showed good quality in the final third. We kept the ball well in periods and made it very hard for Brisbane City to influence the second half.”
Under 14 Girls:
Sunshine Coast Fire defeated Souths Strikers 7-0.
Coach Tom White said after last week’s average performance the Fire came out blazing against Souths Strikers.
“The football on show was probably the best I have seen this year,” he said.
“The girls looked after the ball extremely well and made Souths do all the running. I think the fact that the Fire had about 70 per cent of possession shows how much we dominated.”
The girls had a great time rolling the goals in with Michelle Le Roux bagged a hat-trick, Kirsty Clifford scored two and Madi Warren and Maisie Berry both scored one.
The Fire’s back four were very strong. Holly Vidulich, Aqua Meanie, Kirra Guy and girl of the match, Zoe Hopwood, were fantastic in making sure the Fire did not concede.
“Overall it was a classy display and the football on show should have sent fear to the opposing teams in the league,” White said.
Under 13 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire lost to Brisbane City 3-1.
The Fire came out of the gates the quickest for the second week running, pressing high up the field. Terone Wattegedara showed great skill as he beat two players on the left and delivered a pin-point ball for Jesse Gibbs to shoot into the net.
The score line remained at 1-0 until half-time, and the Fire players knew they would have to work hard in the second-half to win the game.
Unfortunately, the Fire’s ‘curse’ of conceding at defensive corners struck again and Brisbane City equalised.
A stand-out performance from Oliver Duncan kept Brisbane’s mid-field under control but pressure from the opposition eventually over-powered the Fire. Swift passing on the counter attack allowed Brisbane to score its second goal.
The Fire kept up pressure and once again the Brisbane’s players’ counter attack allowed them to score and finish the game with a 3-1 victory.
Under 12 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire lost to Brisbane City 5-0.
With a few injury concerns and the ability to try a few new things within the squad the boys took the field nervous but excited.
The match began at a very high intensity, forcing both teams to fight for the ball.
The Fire players found themselves in a goal mouth scrap not long into the match. A miss-timed tackle from Oli Williams brought down a player and City was awarded a penalty kick which goal keeper Nathan Foster was unable to save.
The Fire boys tried to re-gather and carry out the game plan, however they could not convert opportunities into goals.
A counter-attack from Brisbane City forced a Fire mistake and allowed City to score their second goal.
At half-time Huston spoke to the Fire players about remaining confident, sticking to the game plan and holding their shape.
The style of play and pace in the second half seemed to catch the Fire off guard. After a City player evaded a Harrison Hooper challenge, he beat the on-rushing Foster to bring the score to 3-0.
At this point the Fire had a difficult task ahead to try and claw its way back into the game, however soon Tom Whittaker was taken down inside the box and the Fire was awarded a penalty.
Archie Waterson stepped up to take the shot with a powerful strike, only to be narrowly denied by the cross-bar.
The Fire was given a second chance at the penalty after the opposition players entered the box before the kick was taken. Unfortunately for the Fire, the second shot was saved.
Soon afterwards Brisbane City was awarded a penalty after Foster was pulled up for a hand ball. This brought the score to 4-0.
In late stages of the game the Fire players pushed hard to search for a goal, however a strong strike from a City player 25 yards out found the back of the net.
The final score was 5-0.
“I look forward to these two sides going head-to-head in a fortnight,” Huston said.
“It was a great test and a fantastic chance to try a few new things.
“There were very pleasing moments which could have been some outstanding passages of play.”
“Well done and credit to Brisbane City though it is great to see young players competing at this level.”
First Team photos:
