Under 18 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 3 v QAS 1
The Fire’s first game of the 2014 NPL season was a great contest, as the 2013 Under 18 Boys Premiers took on the 2013 Grand Final winners, QAS.
Heat and high winds made play difficult and the Fire looked on edge and rushed early in the game.
The QAS took the lead after ten minutes with a long-range shot from the number 10 player. With QAS a goal ahead, the Fire began to regain composure and lift the intensity. In the 25th minute pressure from Jacob Fulluck forced the QAS keeper to make a mistake. Matt Kennedy latched onto the ball and slotted it in from close-range.
The Fire created a number of chances before half-time, but was unable to take the lead.
The boys returned to the field with intensity during the second-half. In the 65th minute Jesse Wilson was brought down in the box and the Fire was awarded a penalty. Jacob Fulluck took the shot and gave the Fire a 2-1 lead.
Just five minutes later the Fire was again on the scoreboard. Jordan Lloyd won a ball on the edge of the box and fed it through to Jacob Fulluck who swivelled through to place a left-footed rocket in for his second goal of the game. The Fire played out the remainder on the game with a 3-1 lead to register a convincing win over a quality opposition.
Player of the Match: Gabriel Dennis
Under 15 Girls:
Sunshine Coast Fire 5 v Moreton Bay 1
The Fire Under 15 Girls faced Moreton Bay in Round one of the 2014 NPL, on a very hot day at Southpine Sporting Complex.
The Fire applied pressure from the first whistle with structured build-up play. Neither team had any real opportunities until the 27th minute mark, when Fire goal keeper Katie Offer made a great save. Shortly afterwards Madi Warren had a goal opportunity after some great play through the middle, however unfortunately her shot just cleared the crossbar. In the 30th minute the Fire took the lead as Lisa van Hooijdonk slotted the ball in from close-range. The Fire went into half time with a one-goal advantage.
Three minutes after the restart, the Fire increased the lead to 2-0 after Warren received a pass on the edge of the box to slot the ball into the top right corner. Two minutes later Moreton Bay scored after an under-hit back-pass from a Fire defender allowed the Moreton Bay striker to put pressure on Offer and score off a re-bounded shot.
The Fire continued to press and was soon rewarded with a free-kick after a Moreton Bay hand-ball. Warren stepped up and smashed it into the top right corner, extending the two goal lead.
Warren completed her hat-trick in the 57th minute after a one-two on the edge of the box allowed her space to put the ball into the top corner. In the 68th minute a back heel from Warren allowed Michelle le Roux to get a shot away, only for it to deflect back off Warren into the bottom corner and seal the Fire’s 5-1 win.
Players of the Match: Jodie Nugent and Brianna Hopa.
