Open Women’s Team:
Sunshine Coast Fire Open Women’s Team 5 v Woombye Women’s Team 2
Recent signings Renee Rudder, Marcena Hunter and Isabel Dalton added experience to the young Fire team as they took on Woombye on Saturday.
Woombye surprised the Fire early in the game, scoring in the first two minutes. The Fire remained composed and started to pressure Woombye, allowing Alex Psarros to cross in to Carmel Murphy-Pollard to score her first goal for the Club and the Fire’s first for the game.
Woombye fought back and scored a second goal against the run of play, however Samara Christmas was able to equalise shortly before half-time, avoiding the Woombye offside trap.
The Fire controlled the game in the second-half. Two goals from Kirsty Clifford and Martha Bensted put the Fire back in front. A good finish from Amy McGlynn sealed the game in the Fire’s favour.
NPL National Youth League:
Sunshine Coast Fire NPL Youth League 7 v Woombye Premier Reserves 0.
The Fire Youth Team faced Woombye, one of the leading local reserve grade sides, in a preseason match. The coaching staff took the opportunity to field seven of the Under 18 team youngsters, who blended well with the experience and quality of the older Youth League members.
A composed and energetic display saw the Fire take the lead early in the first-half. A Luke Devitt through-ball into the box allowed striker Jacob Fulluck to slot in the Fire’s first goal in the 14th minute.
The Fire maintained pressure and in the 38th minute Devitt put through another quality pass into the path of James Verdin who found the back of the net for the Fire’s second goal.
Six minutes later Tosh Togatia was taken down in the box and the Fire was awarded a penalty. Jacob Fulluck slotted the ball into the top right-hand corner, giving the Woombye goal keeper no chance.
The Fire returned to the field for the second-half with a three-goal lead, and continued to dominate possession and field position. Some messy defence from Woombye after an Aidan Little throw-in resulted in an own goal in the 70th minute, increasing the Fire’s lead to 4-0.
The Fire’s fitness became apparent as the game wore on; the impressive backline was rarely threatened, while the midfield and striking combinations continued to extend the Fire’s score line. In the 75th minute Jesse Wilson took on the defence down the left-hand side from the half-way line and unleashed a shot from a tight angle to bring the score to 5-0.
Just ten minutes later Brady Cronk scored the Fire’s sixth goal after Matt Kennedy’s shot was blocked into his path. Ryan Garratt sealed the Fire’s win in the 89th minute as he turned the defender, cut from the right side onto his left foot and shot from 18-yard into the net.
Under 15 Girls:
Sunshine Coast Fire 3 v Woombye Under 17 Girls 0.
The Fire dominated possession in a quality display of football against Woombye’s Under 17 Girls. The girls worked hard control the game and keep the ball in the Woombye defensive half.
The Fire launched attack after attack, only to be denied by the Woombye keeper, the crossbar and poor finishing. Madi Warren scored the Fire’s first goal of the game as she beat two defenders to drive the ball into the back of the net. The Fire went into half-time with a 1-0 advantage.
During the second-half the Fire continued to control the game and the back four dealt superbly with the long-balls Woombye launched at them.
Lisa van Hooijdonk and Sophie Tiver ran the Woombye defenders ragged with their speed as they latched onto beautifully timed passes from Michelle le Roux, Aqua Meanie and Jodie Nugent.
Some great build up play led to the Fire’s second goal, as le Roux played a perfectly timed pass into Nugent who calmy slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Nugent then helped set up the Fire’s final goal, threading the ball through two defenders to pass to striker Alex Cannon who smashed the ball in leaving the keeper no chance.
Coach Jarrod Rodios said although the score line could have been greater in the Fire’s favour, the girls put in a great display all round.
Players of the Match: Holly Vidulich and Lisa van Hooijdonk
Under 16 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 5 v Woombye Under 17 Boys 1
The Fire Under 16 Boys took on the Woombye, winners of last year’s local league, in their second preseason match.
The Fire started the game brightly with good intensity and dominated field position. Within the first ten minutes Alex van Kampen and Cameron Nairn had good scoring opportunities, but scooped shots over the crossbar. The Woombye keeper was also in excellent form and made a number of fingertip saves.
In the 15th minute Woombye capitalised on their first real chance and scored against the run of play. The Fire lost possession while playing out from the back and the centre-back used his strength to force the ball home.
Now behind by a goal, the Fire started to focus on retaining possession with excellent midfield passing from Jordan Vieira, Alex van Kampen and Thomas Swane.
The Woombye keeper continued to make excellent saves, however the Fire finally made it on the scoreboard in the 30th minute. Jordan Irwin and Tom Swane made a good interchange of passes down the left wing and passed the ball in to Cameron Nairn in the box to beat the diving Woombye keeper.
The Fire began to dominate the game and it was only the good form of the Woombye keeper which again denied the Fire’s shots on goal.
Just before half time Swane found space on the left-hand side and passed to Cameron Nairn who slotted a shot into the corner to bag a brace.
At the end of the first-half, shots on goal statistics were 17-1 in the Fire’s favour, however excellent goal keeping and shot lifted over the crossbar had prevented a larger score line.
Four minutes into the second half the Fire extended the lead to 3-1 with an outstanding volley from Alex van Kampen. By this time Woombye had resorted to long, high through-balls which the Fire’s defence had to take care of.
In the 57th minute a blocked shot from Alex van Kampen fell to Sean de Chastel who took one touch and finished in the left-hand corner from 15 meters. Just five minutes later Cameron Nairn delivered a pass to Timi Adjibola, who beat three players with his pace and blasted a shot past the keeper.
Fire keeper Luke Marker snuffed out Woombye’s chance at a second goal as he spread his body at the feet of the attacking player following a misdirected back-pass.
The Fire’s last opportunity came in the form of a penalty in the 79th minute but the Woombye keeper saved Cameron Nairn’s shot.
Coach Ben Cahn said the team’s performance had improved after the game against Olympic, with better passing and increased possession, particularly through the midfield.
Player of the Match: Sean de Chastel.
Under 13 Girls:
Sunshine Coast Fire 8 v Woombye U13/14/15 Girls 1
The game started fairly evenly between the two young sides. Some great saves from Sommer Jordan kept the score line at nil all and the Fire was able to play back up the park and give Lissa Taft a goal scoring opportunity. She beat the keeper to slot the ball in at the near post.
This goal was the spark the Fire needed and from then on the girls played fantastic football. Jazlyn Salih caused major problems for Woombye, increasing the Fire’s lead to 5-0 at half time. She scored two 1v1s, close-range tap in and beat two players to finish in the bottom corner.
The Fire continued to play some great football in the second-half and restricted Woombye to their own half. Some good saves from the Woombye goal keeper kept the score in single figures as the Fire front five created goal scoring opportunities.
Hannah Taylor bagged a brace; finishing a fumbled save from the Woombye keeper and making a great third-man run off Salih to tap the ball in past the keeper.
Lissa Taft also scored a brace, cutting in from the right wing to smash the ball past the keeper at the near post.
Coach Tom White said over all the game was one of the best he had seen from an Under 13s girls squad in a long time.
“I was very pleased with our football and with our ability to retain possession and keep it simple,” he said.
Player of the Match – Hannah Taylor
Under 12 Boys:
Sunshine Coast Fire 19 v Woombye Under 13 Boys 1
The Fire faced Woombye in a very one-sided game, Woombye worked hard but the team lacked depth and was no match for the Fire’s quality.
The Fire took control of the game from the starting whistle, scoring three times in the first 10 minutes of play. The midfield and forwards saw most of the ball, looking dangerous on every attack, with good support from the full-backs who overlapped well.
The Fire scored goal after goal, increasing the lead to 8-0 at half-time and then 19-1 at full-time. Woombye’s lone goal came in the 36th minute when a player went 1v1 with goal keeper Matt Garma and managed to round him to score.
There were many quality goals from across the Fire team; 1v1s, break away goals, killer pass goals, patient built-up goals, a header and two penalties. Kye Stopka managed to tally up five goals, while Luke Varga scored four. The Fire had nine goal scorers in total.
Most players used the extra-time they had on the ball to good effect with good performances from all over the park. Rory Stenhouse and Ezekiel Hawkins looked assured at the back, with Hawkins adding attacking overlaps whenever he could. Fleming and Varga looked exciting throughout the game. Brodie Boyce, Harry Arnison and Jack Beardsley delivered solid, creative performances. Kye Stopka and Byron Faleono looked dangerous in and around the box.
Coach Peter Higginson said the team dynamics and passing inter-plays from the boys were very pleasing.
“Whilst we can’t expect this much time in regular NPL games, the boys used this match to play as a team and work together and this can only be a good thing for the season ahead,” he said.
Player of the Match: Luke Varga
