Under 12 Boys
Brisbane Strikers (7) v Sunshine Coast Fire (1)
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Under 13 Boys
Brisbane Strikers (0) v Sunshine Coast Fire (4)
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Under 14 Boys
Brisbane Strikers (2) v Sunshine Coast Fire (1)
The Strikers team is always great opposition and challenge the Fire at every encounter and this fixture would prove no different.
Fire weren’t playing their usual attacking game and were finding it difficult to hold on to the ball early.
This was evident in the 6th minute when possession was turned over by the Fire defence resulting in a 1v1 with GK Nathan Foster and the shot was placed well into the bottom left of goal (0-1). Again in the 9th minute, Strikers made a power shot but it cleared the crossbar.
The Fire defence was kept busy for the majority of the first half with Harrison Hooper and Harry Fletcher working hard in clearing balls and heading them away and GK Nathan Foster was called upon to make a few smother saves.
In the next ten minutes Fire created some opportunities with Daniel Cuttler passing the ball in from the left wing, but the Fire was unable to find the goal.
A missed chance in the 28th minute with a sweaty play from Daniel Cuttler to beat the Strikers defence, but Tom Whittaker was unable to finish it off.
A few free kicks were awarded to the Fire in the closing minutes, but none of these were utilised.
Fire came out into the second half with better intensity and even though Strikers got a few shots away, most missed their mark or were saved comfortably be GK Kurt Moore-Barnard.
Kaelan Debbage and Tom Whittaker were showing their pace by putting pressure on the Strikers when trying to play out from the back and the Fire were back in the hunt and played with control for the next 10 minutes.
This led to Mackenar Bradfield winning the ball in the 48th minute. Bradfield tucked the ball inside to Tom Whittaker who took on a few players to pass through for Kaelan Debbage who calmly slotted the ball across the keeper and into goal. (1-1)
Not to be outplayed, Strikers again stepped up the tempo and got a few shots away and became quite physical when Kaelan Debbage was knocked to the ground with a challenge from GK Tim Lahiff and a free kick in the 56th minute. The Fire however kept turning over possession and therefore was unable to move the ball forward. This allowed Strikers to keep up the pressure and dominate the last 10 minutes.
A shot was palmed away by GK Kurt Moore-Barnard in the 61st minute, which went over the back line for a corner. The ball was crossed in and not dealt with, which allowed Striker Ali Askari to head the ball into the back of the net. (1-2)
With the opportunities created, the Fire was looking dangerous at certain intervals of the game. So it’s a disappointing loss for the Fire, who had showed some fantastic football the previous week. Giving away possession and at times a lack of purpose would be their undoing today and Strikers did well to capitalise on this.
Player of the Match: Harrison Hooper
Under 15 Boys
Brisbane Strikers (1) v Sunshine Coast Fire (1)
A ferocious start from the Sunshine Coast Fire put Brisbane Strikers under immense early pressure and after just 34 seconds some good defensive work from winger Kurtis Modlin won possession high up the pitch and his through ball found Terone Wattedegara who controlled well and lifted the ball over the oncoming keeper into the roof of the net to give Fire the perfect start.
Two minutes later Fire almost doubled the lead after fullback Taj Suffolk attempted a long range shot that grazed the crossbar.
It was a fantastic start from Sunshine Coast as they continued to pile the pressure on the opposition who struggled to get the ball out of their half and chances fell to midfielders Mitchell Bridge and Tom Croft but some good work by the Strikers keeper and a great last ditch tackle kept the scores at 1-0.
Two more chances fell to Fire in the first twenty minutes as some more good work from Modlin found Wattedegara twice in a matter of minutes but once again the keeper kept the Strikers in the match.
Fire would rue not putting some more chances away as on 30 minutes the Strikers had their first real chance with a quickly taken free kick catching the Fire defence sleeping and a cross was volleyed into the net to make the score 1-1.
The Strikers finished the half well, getting some control of the middle of the park late on, but they were unable to fashion a clear chance and scores were level at 1-1 at half time.
The second half continued on, much the same as the first with both sides pressing high and putting plenty of pressure on the ball carrier. There was some great combination play being played by both teams in what was a fairly high quality encounter.
The first twenty minutes of the second half saw both sides cancel each other out a little but in the final fifteen minutes Fire began to take control of the match once again and pushed for a winner.
An opposition free kick on 65 minutes was well saved by Lachlan Bosworth, and from the counter attack some good forward play from Wattedegara saw his ball find Mitchell Bridge who dinked a lovely pass to Tom Croft whose attempted chip of the keeper when one on one went just over.
On 71 minutes some nice lead up play saw Tom Croft find winger Kurtis Modlin who burst through a couple of challenges before firing a shot onto the crossbar.
The final chance of the game once again escaped Fire as another shot from Modlin went wide.
The referee’s whistle went to leave scores level at 1-1.
Player of the Match: Tom Croft
Under 15 Girls
Western Pride FC (2) v Sunshine Coast Fire (1)
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Under 16 Boys
Brisbane Strikers (1) v Sunshine Coast Fire (2)
It was a late kick off at 3.30pm that saw the unpredictable rain showers clear and the ground swathed in the low afternoon sun.
Strikers were sitting top of the table. It was a much anticipated return match as the meeting in the first round saw Strikers snatch a late winner 2-1 from a Fire team that dominated the second half, having gone in at half time 0-1 down.
With a point to prove today, Fire started nervously and after a minute, had an early scare when a Strikers’ free kick on the edge of the box narrowly cleared the cross bar.
For the first 5 minutes neither team settled into any rhythm but at the 10 minute mark Strikers were building pressure. Some desperate defence enabled Fire to hold out their attacks. Liam Burns was working hard on the left side of defence keeping out a number of raids down his flank.
Fire were struggling to build any pressure going forward as their passes often failed to find their man and Strikers kept coming at them.
At the 28th minute mark the ball fell to the feet of a Striker’s attacker just inside the box and the Fire defence were slow to close down the danger. The shot was goal bound but David Payne from the Fire 15 Boys deputising in goals for Josh Wall, pulled off a great save to keep Fire in the game. He deflected the ball onto the crossbar and was able to safely reclaim the rebound.
Fire continued to live dangerously and a firm back pass put David under pressure in the 33rd minute but he was able to scramble the ball away to safety.
With half time looming it looked like Fire had been able to hold Strikers scoreless as Fire had worked their way into the game. However in the 38th minute Strikers moved the ball wide on the Fire right side of defence and an accurate cross from wide near the goal line found the head of his Strikers’ teammate at the near post for a neat finish, giving David Payne little chance to get a hand to it. 1-0 to the Strikers.
Was going in at half time 0-1 down for the Fire to be a repeat of the first game against the Strikers?
Half time gave the coaches a chance for a few firm but calm words of advice for the second half and it was Fire who immediately went on the attack from the kick off.
Aiden Wall took on the defence down the left and won a corner. Strikers’ defence cleared the immediate danger but the ball came awkwardly to Ollie Blackmore in the midfield and it looked like the Strikers’ player had stolen it and was away and clear to mount a counter attack. Ollie was able to recover and go off his feet and cleanly steal the ball back. The ball found Jack Bowen in space on the right at the edge of the box and he drilled the ball at the Striker’s keeper who failed to cover the shot sufficiently. For Strikers the ball rolled agonisingly across the goal line and into the net away from the flailing arms of the prone Strikers’ keeper. 1-1 in the 41st minute.
That cancelled out the Strikers late first half goal but Fire weren’t finished there.
Fire had the momentum at this stage and in the 43rd minute were on the attack again. Kobe Fuller put Jack Bowen in space on the right and Jack’s deep run to the back line was finished with a low hard cross. Nick Kirkpatrick made a late near post run into the box and smacked the ball into the net for his second goal of the season to make it 2-1 to the Fire.
Strikers were on the back foot now and Aiden Ward was able to win another corner for the Fire down the left a minute later. Fire mounted further attacks but the Strikers defence held firm.
Strikers appeared to overcome the second half shock of conceding two early goals and worked their way back into the game. Liam Burns was again working hard on the left of the Fire defence and the second half saw Sean Culpitt put in a gusty defensive effort, time and time again getting a foot in or a timely intercept to repel a Strikers’ attack. In the 70th minute a Strikers’ attacker was through on goal but Sean Culpitt again closed his space and in a desperate tackle forced the attacker to shoot wide of the post for a goal kick.
In failing light after the sun had set the last 10 minutes of the match were played under floodlights.
Fire almost extended the lead in the 75th minute after a promising attack found Kye Yamaoka-Chapman on the left of the goal just outside the six yard box. Kye set himself up with a neat touch and a lob which beat the goalkeeper in flight but passed tantalisingly down the outside of the back of the net.
The effort from all the Fire players was commendable and they showed a pleasing willingness to play for their teammates to hold on to secure a gritty 2-1 win against the competition leaders and reverse the result of their first round meeting.
Players of the Match: Sean Culpitt and Liam Burns.
Under 18 Boys
Western Pride FC (0) v Sunshine Coast Fire (3)
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Youth Women
Western Pride FC (0) v Sunshine Coast Fire (14)
The Fire team was just too strong for Western Pride, who to their credit played with only 10 players and for part of the second half with 9 players. The Western Pride players contested the ball right to the final whistle and showed personal courage against the strong Fire performance – it’s never easy to lose by so much.
The Fire team opened the scoring off a corner in the 9th minute, Brooke Matheson headed Madi Warren’s well struck corner into the top corner on the back post.
Madi Warren then scored three goals in row, an excellent cross in by Brooke after winning a 1v1, Madi scored off a direct one touch. Madi’s second came after a great through ball by the midfield which Madi picked up and ran 10 yards beating a few defenders and finishing. Madi scored again 2 minutes later. The fifth goal was scored by Lisa who finished off a well-played cross by Brooke. Brooke then made another power run up the left wing, turning and driving in to the goal area and finishing with a powerful shot. Kirra Guy scored in the last minute of the first half from just outside the penalty area with a beautiful curved shot into the top corner.
Madi scored her fourth goal just 3 minutes into the second half picking up an excellent through pass by midfield for a classy finish. Brooke then scored her third and fourth goals – another fine header off a corner and then picking up a through ball by Kirra to finish. WP then conceded an own goal off a powerful cross by Fire.
Lisa then made another of many good runs up the wing to cross the goal mouth where Jess finished with a well-judged header into the top corner. Teyana then made an excellent run up the wing, cut in and shot, Lisa managed to pick up the rebound off the keeper to finish.
Paige scored the final goal, receiving the ball from midfield just inside the attacking half, making an excellent run and composed finish to beat the keeper.
The back four players with Savanna were rock solid and made a lot of interceptions and overlapping runs to keep the ball moving forward and a ‘clean sheet’.
Player of the Match: Brooke Matheson
