Open Women’s Team:
Sunshine Coast Fire 2 v Peninsular Power 3
An injury hit Fire gained a vital win against Peninsular Power to keep them in the top-half of the SEQWPL table. A penalty from ex Matilda player B.Whitfield left Fire trailing 1-0 at half-time, however girls started the second-half with more urgency and equalised through Samara Christmas. Fire pushed forward, dominating possession and creating chances and Kirsty Clifford combined with full back Els Van Hooijdonk to attacking at will down the right flank. In the 75th Christmas finished from a tight angle to give Fire a deserved second goal.
Fire retained possession and continued to push forward, looking to close the game out. However Penninsular Power threw all efforts into a last attempt on goal and equalised in the 90th minute. In a nail-biting finish, Fire launched a final attack, created by defender Marceena Hunter, allowing Summer McGladrigan to score with the last kick of the game.
Coach Dave Bensted congratulated the team on a great result.
“We collected a deserved three points,” he said, “but what a finish to great game!”
Youth Men’s Team:
Sunshine Coast Fire 5 v Western Pride 1
Western Pride started the game with a higher intensity than the Fire and was rewarded with a goal in the 18th minute.
Western Pride dominated possession and prevented Fire from scoring in the rest of the half and Fire went into the sheds at half-time with a 1-0 score line.
After a half-time talk from Coach Craig Hawkins, Fire returned to the field with increased intensity both in possession and ball possession opposition. Quick ball movement, speed and a great work ethic allowed Fire to create goal scoring opportunities for new player Lucas Bryggman, Luke Lewis, Corey Dodson and Ryan Garratt for a convincing 5-0 win.
Under 18 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 8 v Western Pride 0
Fire was in complete control of the game from the very first minute, putting in a great team performance.
Jacob Fulluck capitalised on the 2nd and 39th minutes and Matt Kennedy scored in the 20th minute to put Fire ahead into the half-time break.
Fire continued to dominate in the second half and Western Pride was unable to trouble the Fire’s backline.
Cody Galvin and Lewis Reibel put in Man of the Match performances, while Brendan Martin was only called into action once, but made a great reflex save late in the second-half to keep a clean sheet.
Fire’s team-work led to goals for Jordy Lloyd (2), Luke Devitt and Josh Sancusie, while Brandon Lee scored a great individual goal.
The final scoreline was 8-0 to the Fire.
Coach Paul Arnison said despite the convincing win, the boys could have played better.
“We had boys in great goal scoring positions – but we often failed to play the clever ball to the players in these better positions,” he said.
“The boys are learning that there is no “I” in team but we can improve further in this part of our game. But well done to all the boys, including the subs who made a difference in the second-half.”
Man of the Match: Lewis Reibel and Cody Galvin.
Under 16 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 12 v Western Pride 0
Report by Manager Brett de Chastel.
The last time the Under 16s played Western Pride, Fire lacked intensity and only just won the game 3 -2. This round, a much improved and more focused Fire team beat the Ipswich visitors 12 -0.
Fire started with good possession and high intensity. Good work from Cameron Nairn led to an own goal in the fifth minute from this point and Fire settled into a rhythm and scored nine goals in the first half.
Nairn latched onto a through-ball from Jordan Irwin to slot a shot between the keeper’s legs on the ninth minute, Hayden Lawson finished a rebounded shot in the 19th minute, Sean Pateman overlapped down the right with extreme pace to beat five players and take a left-foot shot in the 25th before Adam Edgar beat a defender in the 26th minute to slot the ball in at the near post. Jordan Vieira rocketed in a shot from 25 metres out on the 28th minute and Liam Culpitt headed in a corner on the 37th minute. Alex van Kampen collected a cross from Edgar, took a touch and placed a shot past the keeper in the 39th minute before Timi Adjibola attacked the defensive line at speed to go 1v1 with the keeper and bring the scoreline to 9-0.
The Fire’s teamwork was evident with eight different goal scorers in the first half. Fire were particularly dangerous down both flanks with Sean Pateman and Jordan Irwin both overlapping with great effect.
In the second half, Fire was able to score another three goals but did not play with the same intensity as the first half. Nairn and Edgar secured a brace each; Nairn in the 47th minute with a powerful shot into the far corner of the goal, and Edgar with a hard, low shot after a 1v1 with the keeper. Thomas Swane wrapped up the scoring in the 60th minute as he guided Nairn’s cross into goal.
The second-half was an opportunity to try different players in different positions and to work on combinations. The Fire kept a clean sheet and there was good defensive work across the park.
This result lifts the Fire back into first place on the Under 16 league table based on goal difference.
Man of the Match – Sean Pateman
Under 15 Girls:
Sunshine Coast Fire 2 v Western Pride 0
Top-of-the-table Fire Under 15 Girls continued their winning streak with a 2-0 defeat of Western Pride at Stockland Western Precinct on Sunday.
Fire dominated the game early and scored in the 8th minute as Michelle le Roux crossed to Madi Warren to head into goal.
Fire remained in control for the remainder of the half without creating significant chances and went into half-time with a 1-0 lead.
After the restart the game remained fairly static until le Roux passed in to Jess Bender to take a shot to put Fire ahead 2-0.
Western Pride rarely troubled Fire, and the lone chance for the opposition was handled well by Fire keeper Katie Offer who made a good save.
Towards the end of the half Sophie Tiver and Lisa van Hooijdonk had some good chances but were unable to extend Fire’s lead.
After this win Fire sit in top place on the table, eight points clear of Moreton Bay who have a game in hand.
Player of the Match: Zoe Hopwood.
Under 15 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 10 v Western Pride 0
Fire started strong and looked to set the standard early with a flurry of goals in the first 12 minutes. Jack Bowen opened accounts for Fire as he finished a rebounded shot from Josh Nisbet in the fourth minute, followed by a strong run from Jack Bowen down the right who delivered a ball to Kobe Fuller to pass to Callum Jones who neatly finished in the ninth minute. In the 12th minute Fuller placed a killer pass to Kye Yamaoka-Chapman to finish at the near post.
Fire was direct and ruthless in the first-half and went into the break 6-0 up after a hat-trick from Abe Reeves. Western Pride was restricted to one chance in the first-half and keeper Josh Wall was called into action, pulling of a great save. The back four defended really well; Jake Nalder, Brad Ellis, Mason Bell, Jez Lofthouse and Reeves were all working overtime.
Fire returned to the field with a few changes and started well, scoring in the first minute as Fuller beat three markers to cut the ball back for Reis Hanton to bury home.
Coach Daniel Carew said Fire had about 20 min where the team missed chances and seemed to struggle to get past Pride’s 10 men behind the ball set up.
“However, I was happy we tried to keep the ball moving and look to open Pride up,” he said.
Fire was rewarded in the end with another goal to Reeves’ impressive first half hattrick. Dawson latched onto another and Oli Blackmore finished off the victory. Fuller was unlucky not to get on the score sheet but he was instrumental in most of the goal build ups.
“It’s been a while since we had a clean sheet so you have to give credit to the boys defence today as they looked very comfortable and composed,” Carew said.
Man of the Match: Jez Lofthouse – a strong and resilient performance from Jez who was consistent at left-back, frustrating his marker.
Under 12 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 9 v Western Pride 2
Report by Coach Peter Higginson.
Western Pride headed North on the Bruce Highway for a third match-up with the Fire on the coast.. The previous two meetings had seen SCFC Fire win easily and it was a similar result this round with the Fire dominating all over the park.
Fire dominated from the kick-off, but Pride defended well and frustrated the boys in the early stages. It took a dead-ball play to open the scoring with Josh Croft timing his run to meet a corner and head the ball home; 1-0 after 8 minutes.
Colby Robinson extended the Fire’s lead on 14 minutes as he ran onto a through-ball, held his nerve and beat the Pride keeper.
Then came the most spectacular goal of the game. Sam Aitken picked up the ball around 25 yards and after an intelligent first touch he pushed the ball towards the box before unleashing a beautiful strike which arrowed high over the keeper into the top corner.
A stubborn Pride pressed well and this paid off when a player pounced on a loose ball and the Pride striker finished well.
Luke Varga restored the Fire’s two three goal lead as he tucked away a corner kick into the bottom corner. Byron Faleano increased the lead to 5-1 at half-time with another break-away goal, outpacing the defence before finishing well.
A similar second half saw Fire keep possession and play as a team going forward. The midfielders worked well together with Brodie Boyce, Harry Arnison, Jack Beardsley, Rory Stenhouse and Josh Croft pulling the strings in the middle. The next three goals came from midfielders.
Jack Beardsley danced into the box and calmly stroked the ball in off the post before Harry Arnison grabbed a deserved goal on 43 minutes. Excellent team build-up on the edge of the bow allowed the ball to work into the box for Arnison to side-foot under the keeper. Beardsley then netted his second and the team’s 8th with a precise finish from outside the box.
Pride pulled a consolation goal back before Robinson grabbed his second of the game with a classic striker’s goal – a snap shot from around 7 metres leaving the Pride keeper with no chance.
Coach Peter Higginson said his team had a comfortable game.
“The boys played very well and we are starting to look like a team that always looks to work together. Their functional game skills are improving individually and the boys are using them in combinations which is what I want to see,” he said.
