Hyundai Queensland State League – Round Thirteen
Sunshine Coast Fire v North Queensland Razorbacks
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Kane Frampton – Staff Reporter
After twelve successive HQSL victories the Sunshine Coast Fire have finally tasted defeat, going down 2-1 at home to a determined North Queensland Razorbacks side.
The Razorbacks played with a high defensive line and were content to expose the Sunshine Coast on the counter-attack. They scored twice on the break through Josh Searle to bring the Fire back down to earth.
After a week of training focussed on improving their intensity, the Fire looked switched on from the opening whistle. Tyson Holmes sent through a low through-pass that was just too fast for Shaun Blackman, bouncing across the hard turf through to the keeper. During the next move forward, Chris Bacon gathered a loose ball and shot for goal from 20 yards, almost finding the top corner.
For all the Fire’s early momentum, they were unable to convert it on the scoreboard. After 15 minutes, Joel Dempster swung in a corner from the right, and Blackman got a foot to the cross but Razorbacks keeper Kieran Gonzales made an easy save.
Despite the early pressure from the Fire, the Razorbacks were looking dangerous on the break. Josh Searle got in behind the Sunshine Coast’s defence, but couldn’t beat Antony Hall with a low shot.
The Razorbacks were breaking quickly, and at times the Fire’s backline was unable to match the pace. Mitchell Robinson moved well down the left flank but couldn’t produce an accurate shot on goal.
Both teams were tackling hard in midfield, and the Razorbacks began to get on top. On 30 minutes they had the opening goal, when Josh Searle got in behind Greig Henslee to collect a long ball, and rushed into the penalty area to beat Hall one-on-one.
With 15 minutes before half time, the Sunshine Coast increased their tempo and looked to open their account. Holmes chipped a free-kick towards Blackman in the penalty area, who rose well but couldn’t keep his header down.
It was almost 2-0 minutes later when the Razorbacks broke quickly down the right flank. Hall parried the initial shot, and a group of players rushed for the loose ball but Hall did well to snatch it back.
Another set-piece for the Fire on the stroke of half-time almost levelled the scores, when Yuta Gonai collected a rebound and shot for goal from distance, but his shot was blocked by the last defender.
The half time whistle sounded and the Fire knew that improvement in the second half was necessary if they were to come away with a result. The patient build-up play that had been present all season was proving ineffective against the well-drilled Razorbacks defence.
There was plenty of desperation from both sides in the opening exchanges of the second half, as the Fire tried to regain control of the contest. After strong attacking work by James Stinson down the right wing, the Sunshine Coast earned an important corner.
Dempster curled a ball into the danger zone, which Razorbacks keeper Gonzales did not intercept. Amidst a flurry of limbs inches out from goal, the ball was sliced into the back of the net by a Razorbacks player and the Fire levelled the scores at 1-1.
It proved to be the spark that the Fire needed, and they pushed forward looking for the lead. However, as had been the case for much of the contest, the Razorbacks counter-attacks were causing problems.
After a play broke down in the Fire’s attacking third, a long ball from the Razorbacks again exposed the Fire and granted Josh Searle a one-on-one opportunity as he cut in from the right wing. In almost a carbon copy of his first goal, Searle placed a shot past the despairing dive of Hall and regained the lead for the North Queensland Razorbacks at 2-1.
Moments later, Yuta was cheaply dispossessed in the defensive third and only a fine save from Antony Hall kept the Fire in the contest.
After an hour of play, the Sunshine Coast were staring down the barrel of their first defeat and needed to find some consistency in attack if they hoped to mount a comeback. Sam Knight, Ryan Delahunty and Jonathan Rose were brought on to inject some fresh legs into the contest.
The task was made easier for the Fire on 72 minutes when Razorbacks substitute Jacob Crowley was given his marching orders for a late tackle on Joel Dempster. Reduced to ten men, the Razorbacks parked the proverbial bus in front of their goal and looked to defend in depth for the remainder of the match.
The extra man on the pitch helped the Fire gain the majority of possession, but creating scoring chances was another story. All too often, the team looked to play a long ball into the box to the advantage of Blackman or Delahunty, but the Razorbacks dealt with these attacks comfortably.
As injury time came closer, Aaron Brazendale had a chance under pressure but his left-footed shot flew over the bar. In the dying seconds a long throw into the penalty area was nodded down well, but the Razorbacks won the second ball and dispatched it to safety.
Full time came for the Sunshine Coast Fire’s first defeat of the season, beaten by a disciplined and energetic North Queensland Razorbacks side. Despite the loss, the Fire still hold a twelve point lead atop the Hyundai QSL ladder, but will need to show improvement if they wish to maintain this lead.
Aston Bell was understandably disappointed to drop points for the first team this season, but was confident his players will respond positively.
“I’m sure there are a few bruised egos, but we’ll be working really hard to redeem ourselves over the next couple of weeks. It’s not the end of the world. We’re still twelve points clear at the top of the table, and we still have a lot of great momentum,” Bell said.
Against a defensively minded Razorbacks side, the Fire struggled to find their attacking fluency.
“They showed their hand pretty early, setting a high line in defence and trying to squeeze from the front, and it was up to us to close them down. The disappointing thing today was we didn’t execute as well as we know we can. What let us down was our final ball, particularly in the first half. But we came against a team with great will and intensity, so I can’t fault my players for effort.”
Next week, pride will be on the line as the Fire travel to Bundaberg to take on the Spirit. Kickoff is at 7pm on Saturday, June 26 at Martens Oval.
Final Score: Sunshine Coast FC – 1 (Own goal, 55)
North Queensland Razorbacks – 2 (Searle, 30, 59)
