Hyundai Queensland State League – Round 8
FNQ Bulls v Sunshine Coast Fire
The longest Hyundai Queensland State League road-trip awaits the Sunshine Coast Fire this weekend, as the boys make the journey to take on the Far North Queensland Bulls in Mareeba.
After seven rounds of competition the Fire have defeated all seven of their opponents, opening up an eight point gap at the top of the Hyundai QSL table.
The Far North Queensland Bulls have been one on the better performers of the season, and are currently sitting in fourth place with four wins and three losses.
When the two teams last met in Round 1 of this year, the Fire secured a 3-1 home victory.
After this defeat, the Bulls went on to string together four victories in a row between rounds 2 and 5, but have since suffered back-to-back losses to the Brisbane Strikers and Whitsunday Miners.
The last team they would like to meet on the back of these defeats is the dominant Sunshine Coast Fire, who have left all in their wake thus far this season.
Averaging just under 4 goals per game, the Fire’s attack has been in fine form. Last week, the team disposed of the Bundaberg Spirit 5 goals to nil, despite being without key players Shaun Blackman and Tyson Holmes who were both carrying niggling injuries. Blackman is expected to lead the team this week after recovering from a hamstring injury, and Holmes is also likely to make the trip after shaking off a knee complaint.
In the absence of these players, Chris Bacon stepped up against Bundaberg and scored an impressive brace. Coach Aston Bell hailed his performance after the match.
“Chris is a quality player, he understands the game well and he has plenty of experience. He can direct the game well from the front of the field, and I was delighted he got a couple of goals,” Bell said.
The Sunshine Coast has boasted an impressive away record since the first season of the Hyundai QSL, and 2010 has proved to be no different. The Fire have snatched single-goal victories over the Brisbane Strikers and North Queensland Razorback’s this season, two teams who are currently tied in second place on the ladder.
The Fire face a challenge in halting the attack of the Far North Queensland Bulls this weekend, with the Bulls scoring 17 goals from seven fixtures this season. The main contributors have been David Ruiz and Josiah Rusch with six and four goals respectively.
As for whether the Sunshine Coast Fire can see off the challenge of the Bulls and maintain their perfect record, we will have to wait until Saturday night to find out. The game kicks off at 8pm at Borzi Park in Mareeba.
