Queensland State League – Round 1
Sunshine Coast Fire vs. Far North Queensland Bulls
Sunday March 28, 2010
Kane Frampton – Staff Reporter
The Sunshine Coast Fire have got their season off to the best possible start, claiming a 3-1 victory over the Far North Queensland Bulls at Stockland Park on March 28.
Fresh again after a gallant defeat at the hands of a talented Under-21 Japanese side, the Fire were eager to put their preseason focus on attacking play into practice. Anything less than a win would have been a disappointment for the Sunshine Coast, as the team was surely keen to avoid a repeat of their poor early season form in 2009.
Both teams were slow out of the blocks, with many passes missing their target and attacking opportunities difficult to come by. Mark Riley was shown a yellow card on three minutes after a heavy challenge.
Although the Bulls found more of the early possession, the Fire manufactured a good opportunity after nine minutes when Tyson Holmes found Riley in the penalty area, who shot with his first touch. Bulls keeper Angelo Serafin got down well to make the save.
For the visitors, George Koroma looked dangerous on the left flank, shooting from an acute angle inside the penalty area. The Bulls early attacking pressure continued when David Ruiz found himself unchallenged 20 yards out, just missing the upright with a good strike.
Despite the patchy start, the Sunshine Coast were still finding opportunities with direct plays. Holmes cruised into the right side of the box on 18 minutes and crossed across the face of goal, the ball just eluding new captain Shaun Blackman.
Up the other end, Ruiz almost scored directly from a corner, resulting in a scramble in front of goal, with Callum Wood eventually shooting low and wide from 18 yards.
For the Fire, Holmes and Blackman again combined, with Holmes’ through-ball nearly giving Blackman a one-on-one opportunity against the Bulls goalkeeper.
At the halfway point of the first half, the game began to improve in quality. The best opportunity of the match went the way of the visitors, with George Slefendorfas dribbling unchallenged into the penalty area on 25 minutes. Keeper Antony Hall did superbly to deal with the angled shot, continuing his fine form that has prevailed throughout the Fire’s preseason.
Slefendorfas was again involved minutes later, heading just wide after a corner kick.
The Fire seemed frustrated that they were unable to gain an early stranglehold on the contest, but their intensity going forward soon began to pay dividends.
A corner kick found Blackman on the edge of the box, but his powerful volley flew over the bar. On 31 minutes Raymond Schultz found himself in space, and shot just high from the edge of the area.
The Fire maintained their ascendancy in the final minutes of the half, with Aaron Brazendale just beaten to the ball by keeper Serafin after a fluid passing move by the Fire. Markus Kronblad narrowly missed from a glancing, near post header in the dying minutes.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges after the interval, as the Fire seemed frustrated that they were unable to score the opening goal. Schultz was issued a yellow card for conduct and it became hard to see how the Fire would break the deadlock.
However, on 53 minutes the score was 1 – 0.
Blackman found the ball at his feet on the right side of the penalty area, and attempted to chip over Serafin, who rushed forward to block the shot. Serafin made late contact with Blackman, earning him a yellow card, and the Fire a penalty. Tyson Holmes made no mistake from the spot, with Serafin guessing correctly but beaten by the pace of the shot.
The game began to open up following the goal, with Brazendale narrowly missing Blackman with a cross from the left wing on 58 minutes. Moments later, Blackman spotted Serafin off his line and attempted to beat him from 25 yards with a high shot that narrowly missed the left upright.
The visitors continued to manufacture attacking chances, but on 65 minutes it was 2-0 to the Sunshine Coast. Brazendale centred a ball across the penalty area that cannoned off a Bulls defender and into the net for an own goal.
Brazendale was substituted for Japanese import Yuta Gonai, who had an immediate impact. Holmes found substitute Corey Towle on the left wing with an excellent blind cross, before Towle crossed to Gonai, who was very unlucky not to score as his header hit the crossbar.
At the other end, Slefendorfas again forced a classy save out of Hall as the visitors fought resolutely to open their account.
Some of the Sunshine Coast’s best plays in attack came in the final minutes, with Blackman proving impossible to contain and going close on several occasions. The score was 3-0 on 88 minutes when Greig Henslee centred the ball from the right of the penalty area, before hitting the shin of a Bulls defender and going in for the second own-goal of the night.
The Bulls were rewarded for their perseverance in stoppage time, as Ruiz finally beat Hall with a well-placed strike into the bottom corner on 18 yards. Final score was 3-1 to the Fire in an encouraging display.
Coach Aston Bell was content with his team’s performance.
“We’re happy to come away with three points, in a match where all our players contributed,” Bell said.
“It took us a while to get rid of our nervous energy.”
Despite the positive result, Bell is aware that there is room for improvement and issues that the Fire need to sort out.
“It took us too long to react defensively today, and we were caught ball-watching at times. But credit should go to the Bulls for their performance, and their direct style of football.”
The Sunshine Coast Fire meet the Queensland Academy of Sport in the second round of the QSL on Sunday, April 4. Kickoff is at 4pm at Stockland Park.
Final Score: Sunshine Coast Fire – 3 (Holmes, 53 – own goals 65, 88)
Far North Queensland Bulls – 1(Ruiz, 90)
