August 2012 | The Sack

Brisbane Premier League: Round 25

The penultimate round of the BPL home-and-away season saw no changes at the top as Redlands, Wolves and Peninsula all recorded wins to prolong their fierce battle for the Veto League Cup. University of Queensland secured safety for another season, while Lions FC have one foot in the finals after an impressive victory that relegated North Pine. At the foot end of the table, North Star produced a spirited display to beat Rochedale and set-up a final-day decisive match for survival with Taringa.

University of Queensland 1:0 Souths United

A last gasp David Loic goal handed UQ BPL safety for another season and condemned already relegated Souths to their 23^rd loss of the season.

Everyone will be talking about…

Loic’s heroics at the end. With two minutes left on the clock, UQ were staring down the barrel of handing Souths United only their second draw and fifth point of the season. Up stepped the inspirational attacker to notch what is a season-saving goal.

Yeah, but what happened?

UQ always looked the likelier to score but numerous spurned opportunities and low confidence after a dreadful second half of the season seemed to stand in their way, before Loic’s defining strike.

The numbers:

UQ – Loic ‘88

Looking ahead...

UQ are safe and will look to end a frustrating season on a high when they travel to Lions next week. Souths’ season has been one of the worst in BPL history and they’ll be glad it’s all over after they host Capalaba.

North Star 2:1 Rochedale Rovers

An inspired performance by North Star has seen them overcome a heavily fancied Rochedale side to keep their slim chances of BPL survival alive.

Everyone will be talking about…

Star’s defensive performance. On a night when Rochedale’s finishing was far from their best, Star’s backline kept its shape and denied one of the Grand Final favourites what pre-match might have seemed like a routine victory.

Yeah, but what happened?

A dream eight-minute spell before the hour mark of the match saw Star fans glazing at the scoreboard in disbelief. Their side was 2-0 up, thanks to goals from Alex Hastings and Matthew Heath. John Thompson pulled one back for Rovers with 20 minutes on the clock, but a dramatic final stanza saw the hosts cling on to the victory.

The numbers:

Star – Hastings ’53; Heath ‘61

Rovers – Thompson ‘71

Looking ahead...

The win means Star’s matchup at Taringa next week will be a relegation showdown – with Star needing nothing less than a win to avoid the drop. Rochedale host Olympic, knowing they will finish the home and away season in fourth.

Eastern Suburbs 1:2 Wolves FC

Wolves jumped to the top of the BPL table, albeit temporarily, with a hard fought 2-1 victory on the road at Easts.

Everyone will be talking about…

Wolves’ new American import – Erik Frazier. He took no more than seven minutes to get off the mark in the match and will be a man to watch during the finals.

Yeah, but what happened?

With news that much celebrated coach Alan Hunter will be parting ways with Easts at the end of the season, the home faithful witnessed an impressive display by the Tigers, although they a killer instinct in the final third. Controlling most of the game, Easts’ hopes vanished when Nathan Reardon doubled the visitors’ advantage with fifteen minutes to play. The Heath Park crowd did get a chance to cheer on Brendan Lewandowski’s late goal, although by then the result was all but sealed.

The numbers:

Easts – Lewandowski ‘90+5

Wolves – Frazier ‘7; Reardon ‘74

Looking ahead...

One of the most exciting home and away season finishes in recent BPL history will see Wolves walk out on Carmichael Park next week trailing Redlands by a point and facing a Peninsula Power side themselves still within a chance of lifting the title. Easts could well aid Wolves or Power to the league race if they beat Redlands next week, otherwise Tigers will be sweating on Olympic’s trip to Rochedale as a possible hindrance to their finals aspirations.

North Pine 1:2 Lions FC

Lions FC produced a blistering opening ten minutes to take the match out of Pine’s hands and put one foot in the finals.

Everyone will be talking about…

Lions’ finals chances. Judging on the opening period of the game, Graham Ross’ troops are as good a chance as any to storm all the way to the Grand Final. But their lack of ability to kill off a wounded North Pine stood out, as the hosts brought themselves back into the game and could have snatched a result.

Yeah, but what happened?

Lions typified their name right from the start – they hunted down a stunned Pine side that knew a loss could result in relegation. Quick strikes by Matija Simic and Zachary Tully within eight minutes of kick-off had the visitors cruising. But Pine steadily worked themselves back into the game, although they could not follow up Jake Keslake’s strike just shy of the hour. Pine’s frustration grew and in the end they were reduced to ten men after Hayden Esdale was given his marching orders by referee Jason Crow.

The numbers:

Pine – Keslake ‘59

Lions – Simic ‘4; Tully ‘8

Looking ahead...

Pine are relegated, making their last round match-up with Brisbane City – themselves without a chance of making the top six – a rather insignificant send-off. Lions only require a draw at home to UQ to guarantee finals football, although their exit can only be made possible by Olympic beating Rochedale on the road.

Peninsula Power 3:2 Brisbane City

A late Anthony Roulston strike capped off a captivating match and kept Peninsula Power’s slim chance of stealing the premiers’ title alive.

Everyone will be talking about…

Power’s late winner. They’re making a habit of it lately and produced a dramatic finish once again to the relief of the home faithful.

Yeah, but what happened?

City, playing for their season with a slim chance of squeezing into the top six, came from behind twice but in the end ran out of steam as Power’s desperation prevailed. The hosts took the lead twice through the first half, first through Lewis Bonar and then Josh Ahern. But almost immediate replies by Steven Chester and Antonio Murray meant the teams went into the break deadlocked. Power pressed relentlessly for a winner and got their just reward five minutes from time.

The numbers:

Power – Bonar ’15; Ahern ’24; Roulston ‘85

City – Chester ’19; Murray ‘41

Looking ahead...

The victory means Power can claim the 2012 BPL league title next week if they defeat Wolves on the road and Easts do them a favour in beating Redlands. Chances are slim, but it certainly makes for a nail-biting finish, while City can start regrouping for next season – their chase for a top six spot over.

Olympic FC 1:5 Redlands United

Redlands thrashed hosts Olympic in emphatic fashion to maintain their one-point lead at the summit and send out a frightening message to chasers Wolves and Peninsula Power.

Everyone will be talking about…

Redlands as the best team in the BPL. They’re the league’s top goalscorers and shone again – notching five past an in-form Olympic side playing for a finals spot.

Yeah, but what happened?

A frantic opening by the visitors did not yield a goal until five minutes from half-time, when Golden Boot certainty Graham Fyfe drilled home. Once the first went in, the flood gates opened and the Devils proved greedy guests. Fyfe doubled his tally soon after the break, before Scott Bow wrapped up the result. Olympic were well and truly outplayed on their own turf, but managed to grab a goal through Craig Slaughter, who pounced on a loose ball from a corner. The scoring didn’t stop - for the visitors that is - with George Barbarouses and Jheison Macuace rounding off a comprehensive victory.

The numbers:

Olympic – Slaughter ‘68

Redlands – Fyfe ’40, ’48; Bow ’57; Barbarouses ’70; Macuace ‘71

Looking ahead...

Redlands have one hand on the Veto League trophy and will be strongly backed to overcome Easts at Cleveland Showgrounds next week to secure the title in front of their home fans. Olympic will find it hard to recover from this one – a win at Rochedale is their only chance of a passage to the finals.

Capalaba 2:1 Taringa Rovers

A frantic last ten minutes saw three goals shared and Capalaba claim all three points as the Dogs look to end their season on a high.

Everyone will be talking about…

What could have been. The home crowd was vociferous at full time, but there’s a feeling of nostalgia running through John Fredericks Park. Trailing sixth-placed Easts by three points and an inferior goal difference of 13, Capalaba may come agonisingly close to finals football, but are realistically in need of a miracle.

Yeah, but what happened?

A game of few chances at either end came to live in the closing ten minutes. First, Josh Sherwood opened the scoring from the spot with what at the time seemed like a certain winner. The night got better for Capalaba when Antony Schiavo doubled their lead four minutes later. But to the crowd’s amazement, Alistair Pace got one back for Taringa, although it was the last piece in a mind-bobbling ten minute puzzle.

The numbers:

Capalaba – Josh Sherwood ‘81(pen); Schiavo ‘85

Rovers – Pase ‘88

Looking ahead...

Capalaba need to demolish Souths next week and rely on three other results to go their way, making their finals aspirations a mere dream. Taringa will be living on a knife’s edge, they play host to North Star in a winner-takes-all clash that will decide who stays up and who plummets down to Division One.

West Sydney Wanderers keep Wolves at bay

In what could be described as a game of three halves, Western Sydney Wanderers’ pre-season continued Tuesday night with a hard-fought one-nil victory over Brisbane Premier League club Wolves FC at Carmichael Park.

In the end, Mark Bridge’s late penalty proved decisive for the visitors; however, each side saw a goal disallowed for offside in a tight encounter that was contested over three thirty minute periods.

The linesman’s flag plagued Tony Popovic’s Wanderers team all evening – the A-League’s latest additions caught wrong side of the last defender on nearly a dozen occasions.

Wolves FC, considered a stand-out side in the local league this season, were in the mix from the outset, with their high-pressing game – led from the front by the energetic Kado Aoci – denying the Wanderers midfield time on the ball.

The home side sourced the first chance from a seemingly innocuous throw-in – midfielder Chris Knowles unleashing an ambitious bicycle-kick that was struck true but directed straight at Wanderers goalkeeper Jarred Tyson.

The visitor’s first genuine glimpse on goal came two minutes later when Felipe Campos gained possession in the Wolves defensive third. His cross located Labinot Haliti at the far post, but Haliti, who did well to bring the ball down under pressure, blasted his shot across the face of goal.

Aided by the slick and smooth surface, Wanderers soon settled into a percussive, if somewhat pressed, passing rhythm; their patient build-up eventually freeing Adam D’Apuzzo down the left, leading to the first disallowed goal.

Croatian import Dino Kresinger headed D’Apuzzo’s ensuing cross down for Haliti, who was lurking unmarked near the six yard box. The former Newcastle player’s solid shot found the back of the net, but was ruled out by the referee’s assistant.

Unperturbed, Wanderers continued to dominate possession for the rest of the opening period, despite failing to create any further clear chances on goal. Their only worry in defence came via a series of spurned Wolves free kicks conceded in the final third of the pitch.

After the break, Bridge replaced Kresinger and immediately provided new impetus at the top of the visitor’s formation. His angled runs combined with a slight alteration in Wanderers’ build-up that saw their young midfielder Kwabena Appiah-Kubi become more prominent.

Wanderer’s chances were more opportunity than contrivance though – the linesman’s flag and Wolves’ disciplined back four effectively quashing several promising passages, while any shots Wanderers did take were hit wide or high.

Meanwhile, Wolves remained firmly in the contest and just before the second break the proudly parochial crowd thought their side had snatched the opener – however, Alex Janovsky, who poked the ball under Tyson neatly, was adjudged offside from Ali Ahmadi’s pass, who’d done well to maintain possession in the box against some strong-armed defending.

Still locked at nil-all at the start of the final period, Wanderers sought to regain control with half a dozen substitutions and a new found fondness for lobbed balls over the Wolves high backline.

The tactical changes failed to alter the script though as Wanderers’ attacking duo of Haliti and Bridge were repeatedly flagged offside. However, Shannon Cole started to assert his influence at left back and it was the former Sydney FC man who was instrumental in earning the penalty ten minutes from time.

Taking possession from Tyson well in his own half, Cole one-two’d his way up the left sideline, combining with Trent Clulow and Shaun Robinson, before bringing the ball into the box and drawing the foul.

Bridge then stepped up and calmly converted from the penalty spot for the night’s only goal.

Wolves earned a late opportunity for an equaliser after being awarded a one final free-kick in a dangerous position, but the generally impressive Tyson managed to tip Sasa Radulovic’s shot over the bar.

Western Sydney Wanderers will return to New South Wales for their next pre-season clash against Newcastle Jets. While Wolves remain at Carmichael Park this Saturday when they play fellow BPL title-contenders Peninsula Power, both teams still a mathematical chance of claiming the title depending on other results.

Brisbane Roar edge Redlands in nine goal thriller

A young Brisbane Roar accounted for Redlands United 5-4 in a see-sawing, sea-side hit-out at Cleveland Showgrounds on Wednesday night.

The high-scoring, highly entertaining pre-season match saw both Roar’s Kwame Yeboah and Redlands’ Rhys Meredith claim hat-tricks, but it was Brendon Borrello who sealed the result for Roar with a goal in stoppage time.

The Roar side consisted of mainly National Youth League hopefuls – the notable exceptions being Ivan Franjic, who anchored the midfield throughout the ninety minutes, Fitzgerald on the right wing and back-up shot-stopper Matt Acton.

Played at a frenetic pace throughout, the tone of the match was established early when Brisbane opened the scoring courtesy of Fitzgerald’s fourth minute strike.

It began when the high-pressing Yeboah dispossessed a Redlands defender high up the park. He then played the ball for Fitzgerald, who shook a defender with a neat drag-back before curling his left-footed shot in at the far post.

Yeboah carved a chance of his own not long after when he was played in behind the line by a superb Franjic through-ball. However, advancing Redlands keeper Mitch O’Brien came out on top in the ensuing one-on-one with a splendid save.

The home side then began to find their way into the contest, Graham Fyfe and George Barbarouses looking particularly dangerous in attack while left back Michael Lee ventured forward to great effect for the Brisbane Premier League leaders.

However, it was Roar that extended their lead on 22 minutes when Fitzgerald returned Yeboah’s earlier favour, picking out the attacking midfielder with a sharp pass. The brash youngster then cleverly rounded O’Brien to leave himself with the simplest of finishes.

Redlands persisted though and eventually clawed a goal back through Meredith just before half-time. Lee, on one of several runs down the left flank, picked out the striker at the top of the box with a well-considered pass and Meredith’s subsequent shot scooted past the outstretched glove of Acton.

Returning from the break, both sides displayed increased vigour but it was Brisbane that would restore their two-goal buffer barely five minutes after the restart.

Yeboah once again capitalised on a Redlands turnover in their defensive third, beating one defender and dragging another with him as he dribbled across the top of the box before striking a low, left-footed shot past the somewhat unsighted O’Brien.

Sitting on a seemingly comfortable 3-1 lead, Roar then relaxed only to be caught-out by their opponents twice over the next five minutes – Meredith scoring both, with Fyfe well involved.

Redlands second came when Fyfe was picked out on the right by an astute switch of play. He then brought the ball to the byline before delivering a flat cross that was met by the barnstorming head of Meredith.

They were back on level terms two minutes later when Meredith secured his hat-trick. Again it started with Fyfe, this time the midfielder played Barbarouses in behind Roar's line and, despite heavily jostling, the plucky number eight eventually struck a low ball across the face of goal that was directed home by the lunging Meredith.

With the momentum favouring his side, Redlands coach Matt Chandler then replaced his entire outfield contingent, the intention being to keep his stars fresh for an important weekend fixture. And while such wholesale changes might be expected to play in to the hands of the opposition, the resurgent Redlands continued to prove a handful for Roar who responded by noticeably increasing the ferocity of their challenges.

With fifteen minutes left to play, the home side took a deserved, albeit fleeting, lead when Darren Homer pounced on a deflection with a vicious volley from 15 yards out.

Not looking to be embarrassed, Roar pushed hard for an equaliser of their own. Their go-to man Yeboah popping up again in the 85th minute to secure his hat-trick, this time his run on goal assisted by a delightful flick from the heavily marked Borrello near the penalty spot.

The two former QAS teammates combined again shortly after when Yeboah almost snatched his fourth with a diving header from Borrello’s right-sided cross.

Finally, the pair's persistence payed off in securing Roar a late winner. Yeboah’s defence splitting pass leading to a blocked shot that fell invitingly for Borrello, who then tapped home from six yards out.

The result concluded Roar’s run of fixtures against local league opposition, their next pre-season match against Newcastle Jets in Tamworth next week.

Meanwhile, Redlands United, who would be undoubtedly buoyed by their performance, face Eastern Suburbs at home this Saturday. A victory will secure the BPL minor premiership for the Cleveland-based club.

QSL Wrap: Finals fight intensifies

Far North Queensland fuelled their sharp ascent into genuine QSL championship contention by becoming the first team since round three to defeat the Brisbane Strikers.

Elsewhere in a round of intrigue, Sunshine Coast made it two impressive wins on the trot, Whitsunday missed another chance, and Gold Coast and Bundaberg defied ladder positions to fight out a four-goal thriller.

QAS 0 – 5 Sunshine Coast Fire
(Lucas 27’ Henslee 45’ Firth 56’ Holmes 85’, 88’)

Sunshine Coast sent an ominous warning to their finals rivals on Saturday, crushing the QAS to score another impressive win on the road.

A goal on the stroke of half-time and the dismissal of Academy winger Patrick Theodore shortly thereafter cruelled any aspirations the home side had of reigniting a finals challenge, while strengthening Fire’s claims of a fourth QSL championship.

The visitors’ incentives of consecutive wins and an improved ladder position were enough impetus for them to make a dominant start, eventually creating and finishing a clear chance though New Zealand Olympian Dakota Lucas in the 27th minute. The match, however, was decided in a couple of minutes either side of the break as defender Greig Henslee headed a looping second for Fire, before the QAS were reduced to ten as Theodore was shown a second yellow moments into the second-half. Further goals to imposing midfielder DJ Firth and a quickfire double from returned captain Tyson Holmes sealed the five-goal crushing.

Sunshine Coast’s win saw them move from fourth to third and remain an outside chance of pipping the Bulls to a home final, while the QAS’ chances of post-season action are effectively over.

FNQ Bulls 3 – 0 Brisbane Strikers
(Mottin OG 36’ De Nittis 45’ Murphy 79’)

The Brisbane Strikers suffered their first loss in nineteen rounds at Borzi Park on Saturday, given a hefty pre-finals shock by a rampant FNQ Bulls.

Not only did the commanding 3-0 win make a home final Far North Queensland’s to lose, it confirmed the runaway league leaders as vincible.

A tight opening to the match saw fortune fall the way of the hosts as Nathan Bird did enough to draw an own goal from defensive midfielder Ryan Mottin, who had only just replaced the injured Josh Searle. Winger Josh De Nittis, who played a key hand in the opener, then harassed defender Nick Robinson into a crucial error and applied the finish for the boisterous Bulls’ half-time boost. The Cairns club’s dream night, their second in two weeks having drubbed Whitsunday 5-0 last round, was given a top-notch ending when midfielder Matt Murphy smashed in an emphatic third and final goal for the Bulls.

The unexpected scoreline sealed FNQ’s seventh match without loss, the last of which was a home defeat to the Strikers who, now winless in two, will be eager to rediscover their untouchable form at home to Capricorn next round.

Capricorn Cougars 1 – 1 Whitsunday Miners
(J Sauer 35’) (Bradford pen 25’)

Whitsunday dropped to fourth on Sunday as they were unable to hold a first-half lead over Capricorn in Rockhampton.

A goal from either side in the opening term gave an unwanted point to both as the Cougars failed to close the gap on the now fourth-placed Miners, who themselves fell a point behind Sunshine Coast.

Newly-appointed captain Jarod Lancaster was praised in the post-match by Cougars coach Joe Fenech but his efforts weren’t enough to tip the result in Capricorn’s favour, the home side settling for a point as Jonathon Sauer’s long-range strike cancelled out Miners MVP-favourite Clark Bradford’s 25th minute penalty.

While Capricorn appear out of the finals reckoning, a four-match unbeaten run will see them visit Perry Park next week with plenty of zip, while Whitsunday can again begin pushing for a higher finish at home to Bundaberg.

Gold Coast 2 – 2 Bundaberg Spirit
(Doherty 8’ Harris 90’) (Kitching 67’ Evans 68’)

A thrilling four-goal affair eventually meant the points would be shared between Gold Coast and Bundaberg despite both sides holding leads at Mudgeeraba Soccer Club.

The match was notable for nothing if not in the opposite routes the two sides took to scoring their goals: Gold Coast did their damage at either end of the match, in contrast to Bundaberg’s two goals in two second-half minutes.

Attacker Jason Doherty put the Stars in front with his third of the season before goals from captain Brett Kitching and Tommy Evans just beyond the hour swung the match back in Spirit’s favour. However, in the clash between ninth and seventh, there was more drama to come as a ninetieth-minute goal prevented the visitors from moving into sixth, and gave Gold Coast their fifth point of the campaign.

Bundaberg, as with many clubs across the league, are now in competition with their local football association, Fraser Coast Football, for Wide Bay’s Australian Premier League license.

NQ Razorbacks – BYE

QSL: Fire stoked with momentum-builder

Sunshine Coast Fire furthered their pre-finals revival on Saturday night, easing to a straightforward 5-0 crushing of the Queensland Academy of Sport at Meakin Park.

The visitors’ two-goal half-time lead was extended to an ugly margin as diminutive QAS winger Patrick Theodore was dismissed early in the second term.

While Sunshine Coast arrived in Brisbane’s south with a finals spot close to secured, the QSL’s most successful side had only completed stage one of a recovering from a dire slump by destroying second-last North Queensland last weekend. Here, they were tasked with continuing that turnaround by securing consecutive wins for the firs time since round nine – against an opponent buoyed by a last-start draw away to the Strikers.

The match’s early signs suggested Fire were on track to achieve their goal, harrying the QAS midfielders into reduced options and making the first incisions. Captain Tyson Holmes, recently returned from a trial with A-League grand finalists Perth Glory, was floating from his attacking midfield position to circulate possession with holding pair David Muta and DJ Firth, who were undoing the QAS’ own structure. While clear-cut chances had been absent, a pair of blocked Fire efforts preceded their opener just before the half-hour mark.

Firth was not picked up as he drifted between the Academy’s lines to link with a flying Dakota Lucas, who glided past Lachlan Jackson and tucked his finish at speed neatly into the bottom near corner, leaving ‘keeper Andres Pascoe with no time to react.

The space occupied by Firth to create the goal should perhaps have been plugged by Academy midfielder Ben Liftin, who had been uninvolved in a role deeper than his early-season position. Star winger Brandon Borrello, who scored as a substitute for Brisbane Roar midweek, was also isolated on the touchline in trying to stretch the pitch.

Sunshine Coast should have gone two goals clear with eight minutes remaining in the half as right-winger Kaine Frew touched across goal from six yards, but tough defender Greig Henslee made sure the visitors would secure that advantage on the stroke of half-time.

Left-winger Nicolas Bechar was allowed to win a corner despite being heavily outnumbered, from which Henslee made the QAS pay by rising above stand-in skipper Alistair Quinn and looping a perfectly weighted header over Pascoe, off the underside of the bar and across the line. The goal came minutes into injury time and was typical of the basic lapses which have cost the QAS this season.

If Sunshine Coast didn’t have a stronghold on the contest at that point, they were in complete control when the Academy were reduced to ten men moments after the restart.

Nippy attacker Theodore, who picked up an innocuous caution midway through the opening term, was shown no leniency by the referee for a late challenge on Fire fullback James Stinson, awarded a second yellow which dashed the hosts’ already slim hopes of a result.

Firth, continuing to dominate the midfield alongside Papua New Guinea international Muta, was first to benefit, expertly controlling a bouncing ball past two defenders and squeezing his shot off Pascoe’s body for Fire’s third.

With the match sewn up, Sunshine Coast decided scoring a fourth was not an urgent priority, happy to test the sound Pascoe from distance rather than work openings, although Henslee was still prepared to hurl his body at any QAS shot.

Eventually, after toying with the Academy defenders in attack, Fire produced their fourth, and classiest, goal of the game. A set-piece was only partially cleared out to Lucas, who, from a central position, darted the ball back into the feet of Henslee on the edge of the penalty area. The rugged defender managed his second piece of striker-like deftness by touching the ball behind the QAS defence for Holmes to attack and lift over the advancing Pascoe.

Having gone goalless since his return to the side, Holmes grabbed a second just three minutes later by exploiting Pascoe’s heavy touch to slide in Sunshine Coast’s fifth. The impressive Muta almost capped an all-round performance when his close-range stab was cleared off the line, meaning Fire would have to settle for a five-goal win in which they were never threatened.

The QAS might point to the sending-off as ending the match but in reality they never once tested Sunshine Coast ‘keeper Dale Hill, leaving the visitors returning home with fourth-placed almost wrapped up and the Academy pondering a season that might have been.

A tournament to remember for NTC Victoria girls

Stockies Scribbles is back reporting from the Capital of Australia following the Victorian National Training Centre (NTC) Girls Team as they challenge the very best female youth that Australia has to offer. The Victorian NTC girls are competing at the National Institute Challenge in Canberra this week. The Tournament kicked-off on Tuesday August 21 and finishes on Saturday, August 25 to showcase the very best female football players and to select the Australian National Team. FFA Coaches and scouts are diligently looking over the talent on display as Australia looks to further bolster its depth.

Game 5

NTC FFV 4-0 NTC South Australia (Phoebe Parker 12’ Own Goal 15’ Jacqui Vogt 61’ Steph Catley 66’)

In stark contrast to the continual rain of the last two days, Saturday morning was crisp (five degrees) and started with the sun shining brightly across pitch one at the AIS facilities.

Upon closer inspection, the water had not subsided at all and the ground was very heavy underfoot especially at either end of the pitch putting extra pressure on the keepers and defenders not to make mistakes.

There was an air of confidence surrounding the Victorian girls as they warmed up pre-game and the most evident sound of the morning was the sloshing of boots and thud of the ball as it skidded across the damp surface.

Coach Darren Tan was vocal as always instructing the girls to concentrate with the occasional "gooooooooood" and "start agaaaaaaaain" vernacular echoing across the ground. Smiles were evident all round as the Victorians knew a solid win today will secure the Silver Medal and post this tournament as a resounding success for the Victorian NTC girls squad.

With pleasantries over in the middle, both teams took their positions to battle it out for southern supremacy. The Victorians had Cassie Dimovski protecting the goal along with Alex Natoli, Jacqui Vogt, Alex Cheal and Bella Scott across the backline.

In the midfield was the consistent Cindy lay, Jessica Au and Steph Magro while up front Coach Tan went with Elaina Vatcky, Phoebe Parker and the elusive Tiff Eliadis to create trouble for South Australia.

The game began with a number of nervous mistakes from both sides before the girls began to settle and concentrate on the task at hand. Phoebe Parker had the first opportunity to score running down the left wing only to have the keeper sweep up the shot.

The South Australian girls were not holding back and played a very physical game using their bodies very strongly and tackling hard. The referee was watching closely as the pushing and holding resulted in a number of free kicks across the ground.

Twelve minutes in saw a good passage of play started by Alex Natoli down back which resulted in the ball finding its way to Cindy Lay who passed to Tiff Elaidis and with a deft one touch pass found Phoebe Parker out wide and the resultant crack at goal avoided the keeper and crashed into the net – bottom left hand corner.

The crowd erupted and the Victorians deserved this goal – the outcome from one of the tournaments best passages of one touch passing and fast, direct play.

Play resumed and three minutes later another forward thrust by Victoria saw the ball under the spell of Tiff Eliadis again and as she ducked and weaved her way through traffic, she was able to centre the ball to the middle of the box only to see a deflection from a South Australian defender force the ball into the net and an own-goal resulted.

This fired the crow-eaters up and very soon they were pushing forward and hassling the Victorian defence. Alex Natoli was having a cracking game down back and with two opponents free and forging towards goal, Alex waited before stepping in and stripping the ball from both of them to deny any further passage on goal.

There was some really solid work right across the ground with Jacqui Vogt, Cindy Lay, Phoebe Parker and Alex Cheal all stepping up in the tough conditions. Bella Scott and Steph Magro were having a field day around the wings and Tiff Eliadis and Elaina Vatcky continued to run hard and create opportunities up front.

It was not long before a desperate attempt on goal by South Australia was again thwarted by Cassie Dimovski which drew a humorous response from the bench. The girls broke out in song with a tune somewhat like "Cassie, Cassie, Cassie we love you" and I am sure Cassie enjoyed the attention from the sidelines. The whistle sounded and the Victorians were poised for victory with a two nil lead at the break.

The second half saw the emergence of Captain Steph Catley and Kate Leder from the bench to again apply pressure on the opposition. Both girls added that extra zest to the forward and back line with Steph Catley using her pace to open up the forward line with her trademark runs down the left wing.

At the fifty minute mark, Dani Gudelj and Tayla Mure made their entry to the game up forward and both were potent with several setups and attempts on goal denied by the South Australian defence. Last but not least, the youngster Maddie Stockdale was brought into midfield for a run towards the end of the game after doing some great work in the backline all week and really stamping her presence in defence during the tournament.

At the 66th minute mark, a free kick was awarded to Jacqui Vogt in the middle of the pitch and you could see she was ready to take a shot from the halfway line. She loaded the gun and fired the kick like a bullet which ricocheted off the keepers hands and across the line for an amazing goal. 3-0 at this point and the girls were all smiles knowing the job was nearly complete.

With minutes remaining and the game well and truly in safe keeping for the Victorians, Steph Catley performed some of her magic. Streaking down the left wing on a pass from defence, Catley took on two defenders and the keeper; sidestepping them all and finishing with a class left foot poke. What a way to finish the tournament and one that all the Victorian girls will remember.

Congratulations to all the Victorian girls who performed admirably in front of the National coaches and selectors. I have no doubt Tom Sermanni and his team were watching and you were all noticed. Many will not be aware of the tremendous sacrifices these girls make week in and week out, training five days a week with a game thrown in on a Tuesday night against the U15 boys.

Thanks to the Victorian support team headed by Les Bees, official NTC Coach Vicki Linton, Tournament Coach Darren Tan, Team Manager Jane Natoli, Tournament Team Manager Sasky Stewart and the all important physiotherapist Adam White and sports scientist Rachelle Borg. The girls appreciate all of your support in keeping them physically and emotionally intact during the tournament and throughout the year. Finally to all the parents who continually support their girls, the smile on a girls face when they hug a parent after a game is priceless and the girls are all aware of the wonderful support you all provide.

And so the NTC National Institute Challenge comes to an end with the Victorian NTC girls team finishing with a silver medal in arguably one of the best performances for a Victorian NTC girls team.

Many will now head off to play in the Westfield W-League for Melbourne Victory Women or back to the Victorian Champions League to re-apply for NTC in 2013. Several have National Team duties across different age groups but regardless of where they are, they will all remember the 2012 NTC National Institute Challenge and the friendships that were born.

Stockies Scribbles signing off from Canberra until next time.

For all the updates on The Football Sack's own version of the Mighty Ducks, check out the range of Craig Stockdale's articles right here.

VPL: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

As predicted, Dandenong Thunder have won the Victorian Premier League Minor Premiership after securing a 0-0 draw at home to second placed Oakleigh. South Melbourne pushed closer to a finals spot at the expense of Northcote while Richmond and the Knights dropped valuable points in the chase for a finals spot.

Bentleigh Greens 3 (Batsis 39' De Vries 73' Wallace 78')
Heidelberg United 0
Kingston Heath Soccer Complex

Bentleigh showed no mercy to the hapless Heidelberg on Friday night cruising to a 3-0 win which lifted them into third spot. It would take some amazing results for Bentleigh to miss the finals from here but with two tough games to go anything is possible.

Hume City 3 (Hegarty 6’ 79’, Harrison 12’)
Richmond 3 (Cahill 43’ 49’, Purcell 69’)
Epping Soccer Stadium

This entertaining draw helped neither side's push for a finals spot. Hume with a relatively easy last two fixtures look the most likely to steal the last remaining spot while it would take something special for Richmond to do so especially seeing as they face the rampant Dandenong on the final day.

Dandenong Thunder 0
Oakleigh Cannons 0
George Andrews Reserve

As we predicted here at The Football Sack many weeks ago, Dandenong Thunder have capped off the home and away season with the Victorian Premier League title, doing what they needed to do against the second place Oakleigh to secure the cup. The Thunder have been by far the dominant side this season and thoroughly deserve to have the title wrapped up with two games remaining. Oakleigh now face a nervous two weeks as they come up against sides that will be battling to finish in the top five.

Moreland Zebras 3 (Recchia 24’ 86’, Delev 32’)
Southern Stars 3 (Stirton 14’, Fitzgerald 48’, McCormack 72’)
Epping Soccer Stadium

The promoted teams fought out a fantastic 3-3 draw meaning Southern Stars are mathematically still a chance to make finals. This was Moreland's season in a nutshell as they again failed to capitalise in-front of goal and made costly mistakes at the back.

Melbourne Knights 0
Green Gully Cavaliers 0
Knights StadiumA goalless local derby was of the benefit of neither side as the Knights' small chances of making the top five were dented. Green Gully on the other hand will rue the dropped points in their chase for a double chance come season's end.

Northcote City 0
South Melbourne 1 (Burton 73')
John Cain Memorial Park

South Melbourne's miserable season might have just turned the corner with a win over arch enemy Northcote on Sunday. South now find themselves two points shy of Northcote (5th) with an arguably easier final two rounds to come.

POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Dandenong Thunder	20	13	5	2	43	13	30	44
2	Oakleigh Cannons	20	11	4	5	33	23	10	37
3	Bentleigh Greens	20	10	4	6	35	23	12	34
4	Green Gully Cavaliers	20	10	4	6	28	22	6	34
5	Northcote City	20	8	6	6	26	28	-2	30
6	Hume City	20	8	4	8	25	23	2	28
7	South Melbourne	20	8	4	8	28	28	0	28
8	Richmond	20	6	8	6	29	28	1	26
9	Melbourne Knights	20	8	2	10	24	28	-4	26
10	Southern Stars	20	6	6	8	24	36	-12	24
11	Moreland Zebras	20	3	3	14	24	40	-16	12
12	Heidelberg United	20	2	4	14	20	47	-27	10

Goals
17 – Luke Sherbon, Dandenong Thunder
11 – Nicholas Hegarty, Hume City
9 – Nate Foster, Dandenong Thunder
8 – Tom Cahill, Richmond
8 – Mathew Sanders, Green Gully Cavaliers
7 – James Kalifatidis, Northcote City
7 – Mark Leech, Hume City
7 – Ricky Diaco, Oakleigh Cannons
7 – Osagie Ederaro, Green Gully Cavaliers
7 – Scott Bulloch, Bentleigh Greens
7 – David Stirton, Southern Stars

Yellow Cards
6 – Steven Topalovic, Richmond
6 – Jonathan Voulgaris, Northcote City
6 – Kristian Konstantinidis, Northcote City
6 – Nicholas Marinos, Heidelberg United
6 – Saso Alexovski, Heidelberg United
6 – Alan Mulcahy, Southern Stars

Red Cards
4 – Melbourne Knights (Ben Surey, Tomislav Uskok, Shaun Romein, Marijan Cvitkovic)
3 – Richmond (Liam Cannell, Michael Ferrante, Mate Eterovic)
3 – Southern Stars (Lean Williams, Ridvan Saglam, Halil Gur)
3 – South Melbourne (Thomas Matthews, Trent Rixon, Shaun Kelly)
2 – Green Gully Cavaliers (Patricio Vargas, Mile Medjedovic)
1 – Heidelberg United (George Papadopoulos)
1 – Bentleigh Greens (Jack Webster)

Round Twenty-One Fixtures
Oakleigh Cannons v Northcote City, 8:30pm Friday 7 September, Jack Edwards Reserve
Richmond v Melbourne Knights, 8:30pm Friday 7 September, Kevin Bartlett ReserveGreen Gully Cavaliers v Dandenong Thunder, 3pm Saturday 8 September, Green Gully Reserve
Southern Stars v Hume City, 7pm Saturday 8 September, Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Moreland Zebras v Heidelberg United, 3pm Sunday 9 September, Epping Soccer Stadium
South Melbourne v Bentleigh Greens, 5pm Sunday 9 September, Lakeside Stadium

Good weather for Ducks

Stockies Scribbles is back reporting from the Capital of Australia following the Victorian National Training Centre (NTC) Girls Team as they challenge the very best female youth that Australia has to offer. The Victorian NTC girls are competing at the National Institute Challenge in Canberra this week. The Tournament kicked-off on Tuesday August 21 and finishes on Saturday, August 25 to showcase the very best female football players and to select the Australian National Team. FFA Coaches and scouts are diligently looking over the talent on display as Australia looks to further bolster its depth.

Game Four

NTC FFV 3-0 NTC Queensland (Tiff Eliadis 27’ Jess Au 33’ Steph Catley 42’)

Rain rain go away come again another day. Well it just won't go away. After two days now of solid rain, the Victorian girls required their flippers and snorkels to combat Queensland on a ground that looked more like a lagoon than a football pitch.

In discussion with a local official, I was told the grounds at the AIS have been specially developed on a clay base to withstand severe drought as several years ago lack of water was the major issue facing groundsmen so retention of moisture was important. Not today.

With all this rain falling over the last 48 hours, the rain sat on the ground and turned into puddles before turning into pools (Olympic pools) to really make conditions quite difficult in the end.

Nevertheless, the Victorian girls bravely faced the extreme conditions and went about their work in a professional manner. This tournament has really highlighted the maturity of the team and the synergy Coach Darren Tan has created with the young and the experienced combining nicely and learning from each other.

Today was "Davey day" under the bar as Matilda squad member Brianna Davey lined up for her turn as keeper and she was rugged up in full length skins to take on the attack of the Queensland side.

Starting defensive line again looked strong on paper with Kate Leder, Alex Natoli, youngster Maddie Stockdale and Matilda Steph Catley all shivering from the cold. In midfield was Steph Magro, Cindy lay and Jess Au ready to feed the forward line of Tayla Mure, Tiff Eliadis and pocket rocket Dani Gudelj. Temperature check indicated six degrees as screams of ZOMG came from the pitch.

Passing the ball was a real problem as the water stopped the ball dead in its track so all players were cognisant of the need to kick strongly to ensure the pass travelled the required journey to the target.

Inside the first ten minutes of play, the Victorian girls attacked strongly with several solid shots on goal by Cindy Lay just missing the target. Cindy was handling the conditions very well in midfield and soon another pass to Dani Gudelj was diverted to Jess Au and the ball rolled under the bar only to see the linesman's flag raised for an offside call.

Tayla Mure and Tiff Eliadis were being fed by the two Stephs in midfield and opportunities were abound for the Victorians. It took until the 27th minute mark for a raking kick out of defence by Briana Davey to find Tiff Eliadis who pounced on the ball, drew the Queensland keeper out from goal, cleverly slotted the kick into the right corner and registered the first major for the Victorians.

Smiles and high fives were the order of the day.

With minutes to go before half time, Maddie Stockdale and Steph Catley combined once more and Steph screamed up the left wing and cut a line across midfield. With a sharp pass to Tiff Eliadis who guided the ball with one touch to Jess Au, Jess rattled the back of the net for a 2-0 lead as the whistle sounded to draw a close to a wonderful half given the conditions.
Half time changes came from Coach Darren Tan with Alex Cheal, Bella Scott and Elaina Vatcky exposed to the elements and Maddie Stockdale, Tayla Mure and Kate Leder resigned to the warmth of the sideline.

With Elaina Vatcky up forward she quickly made her presence felt and drew a penalty in the box to bring Steph Catley to the line for a conversion attempt on goal. Needless to say, the left foot bullet found the upper left hand corner of the net and took the Victorians to a comfortable 3-0 lead early in the second half.

Shortly after Dani Gudelj had another opportunity to put one away only for the kick to be rejected by the Queensland keeper.

At the 47 minute mark, Gudelj was replaced with Pheobe Parker up forward and fresh legs was the strategy given the heavy conditions. Cindy Lay was having a really strong game in midfield and twice drew free kicks through a fierce attack on the ball but both Steph Catley and Tiff Eliadis failed to convert the opportunities on goal. Soon after, Steph Magro was replaced for Jacqui Vogt who was quickly making her presence felt from defence through midfield.

In the final minutes of the game, Steph Catley and Elaina Vatcky were victims of crude tackles but the Victorian girls failed to capitalise on the rewards of their hard work.

The irony of the entire day was highlighted by the fact that the Queensland keeper inched out of goal and Jessica Au managed to move around her and kick the ball towards the wide open goal. It looked like it was about to make it across the goal line and add to the score only for the pool of water in the front of the box stopping the ball dead in its track.

The whistle blew and the Victorians had secured a 3-0 win in conditions that did not favour fish let alone our women footballers.

Victorians finish their tournament today with a game against the NTC South Australia.

For all the updates on The Football Sack's own version of the Mighty Ducks, check out the range of Craig Stockdale's articles right here.

VPL Title Race: the run home

With the Victorian Premier League set to reach an amazing crescendo over the final three rounds, The Football Sack steps in to give you the run down on the run home.

Image courtesy of Melbourne Knights.

Dandenong Thunder (currently 1st) 43 points
No surprises here as they have been far and away the best side all season. Dandenong will finish on top if they manage a point this week in the top of the table clash against Oakleigh. Should they fail against Oakleigh a win in the last two games will be enough. Luke Sherbon has been outstanding this season and will be the one to watch in the finals.

Run Home: Oakleigh (H) Green Gully (A) Richmond (H)
Our Prediction: 1st

Oakleigh Cannons (currently 2nd) 36 points
Always the bridesmaid, the big questions is can Oakleigh shake the tag and snare the big one? The Cannons need to win this week and then hope Dandenong drop the last two games if they are to be Minor Premiership which is not going to happen.

The Cannons though are a quality side and will finish in second place. Will last year's heartbreak spur them on to bigger and better things this year?

Run Home: Dandenong (A) Northcote City (H) Bentleigh Greens (A)
Our Prediction: 2nd

Green Gully Cavaliers (currently 3rd) 33 points
Green Gully just keep on keeping on. Proven winners on the big stage they are in prime position to defend their back-to-back titles. No easy run home though as they face two finals aspirants and the dominate Thunder. Anyone keen to write them off please comment below, we'd love to hear from you.

Run Home: Melbourne Knights (A) Dandenong (H) Northcote City (A)
Our Prediction: 3rd

Bentleigh Greens (currently 4th) 31 points
Bentleigh are just flying under the radar, picking up the neccasary points to give them a shot when it counts. A young side with plenty of talent but do they have the winning edge at the pointy end of the season? A likely Elimination Final in Week One of the finals will be the litmus test.

Run Home: Heidelberg United (H) South Melbourne (A) Oakleigh (H)
Our Prediction: 4th

Northcote City (currently 5th) 30 points
Northcote also have a tough draw for the final two rounds which could prove too big a hill to climb. A huge game this week against rival South Melbourne will be one for the ages. We can't see them snaring a point away at Oakleigh and Green Gully will be equally as tough on the last day.

Run Home: South Melbourne (H) Oakleigh (A) Green Gully (H)
Our Prediction: 6th

Hume City (currently 6th) 27 points
A good run home for Hume should see them not only make the finals but go in with confidence. Could jump as high as third if results go their way, they will be a formidable force in the finals.

Run Home: Richmond (H) Southern Stars (A) Moreland (H)
Our Prediction: 5th

Richmond (currently 7th) 25 points
The run home looks too tough for Richmond as they face off against two teams battling for finals spots and the rampant Thunder.

Run Home: Hume (A) Melbourne Knights (H) Dandenong (A)
Our Prediction: 9th

South Melbourne (currently 8th) 25 points
The sleeping giants were tipped for big things this season with a host of quality signings. The signings for whatever reasons have not 'gelled' and the season has been a poor one. Remaining games against mid table sides mights see them push for the finals, but I doubt it.

Run Home: Northcote City (A) Bentleigh (H) Heidelberg United (A)
Our Prediction: 8th

Melbourne Knights (currently 9th) 25 points
An improvement on last season for the other sleeping giants but that won't satisfy the fans down at Sommers St. The season looked to be going pear-shaped again until club legend Andrew Marth took the helm. A big derby game this week followed by two winnable games could see the Knights within touching distance of a finals spot

Run Home: Green Gully (H) Richmond (A) Southern Stars (A)
Our Prediction: 7th

Southern Stars (currently 10th) 23 points
The Stars get another shot in the Victorian Premier League next season and they've got to be happy about that. Went about their stuff rather quietly and picked up the points they needed to. An ok run home might see them pick up a few more points and lift the confidence going into next season.

Run Home: Moreland (A) Hume (H) Melbourne Knights (A)
Our Prediction: 10th

Moreland Zebras (currently 11th) 11 points
Plenty of hype at the start of the season for the newly promoted Zebras but they just weren't up to it with Griffin McMaster continually left high and dry between the sticks. Former Melbourne Victory hard man Grant Brebner was unable to save them either.

Run Home: Southern Stars (H) Heidelberg United (H) Hume (A)
Our Prediction: 11th (relegated)

Heidelberg United (currently 12th) 10 points
With only two wins for the campaign and a -24 goal difference the mighty Warriors have been out of their depth at all times this season and will head to State League One. A year that had much promise with Andy Vlahos taking the reigns turned sour quickly. This club will be back very soon though. Games against finals hopefuls will not help that awful goal difference over the next three weeks.

Run Home: Bentleigh (A) Moreland (A) South Melbourne (H)
Our Prediction: 12th (relegated)

Our Final Ladder
1- Dandenong Thunder
2- Oakleigh Cannons
3- Green Gully Cavaliers
4- Bentleigh Greens
5- Hume City
__________________
6- Northcote City
7- Melbourne Knights
8- South Melbourne
9- Richmond
10- Southern Stars
__________________
11- Moreland Zebras
12- Heidelberg United

Best form of attack is defence

Women's Football at its best!

Brisbane Roar held by Rochedale Rovers

Brisbane Roar was held to a one-all draw by Brisbane Premier League side Rochedale Rovers in a pre-season friendly at Underwood Park on Wednesday night.

The determined Rovers side were second best throughout the match, but unlike their big league opposition made the most of their few chances in front of goal.

Jake McLean opened the scoring for Rochedale just before the break, while Roar youth team prospect and Queensland Academy of Sport product Brandon Borrello saved Roar’s blushes with an equaliser ten minutes from time.

The relatively strong Roar squad’s usually fluid passing game was hampered by the bumpy and bare-patched suburban pitch, but it was ineffectual finishing that really put paid to their hopes of a win.

Rovers centre back Satoro Okubo was noticeably effective in the centre of the home side’s defence, keeping Besart Berisha unusually quiet and receiving the Rovers' clubhouse man-of-the-match award.

Still, the match was largely controlled by the back-to-back A-League champions.

Early on, Roar’s most promising moments were forged by Henrique playing at the top of a three man central midfield. And while the Brazilian did well to lead his opponents on a handful of mazy runs, his two early shots were both miscued due to bobbles on the unpredictable surface.

As the visitors came to terms with the conditions, the passing game found a foothold on the flanks. Shane Stefanutto and Nick Fitzgerald combined well down the left on several occasions, while Jack Hingert and Ben Halloran also proved dangerous down the right.

The final ball into the box was noticeably lacking though, and while Fitzgerald and Halloran each forged shots from the edge of the area by cutting back inside, both efforts were directed squarely at Rovers custodian Sam Taplin.

Roar’s best chance of the first half came from a Luke Brattan corner which was met strongly by the head of Matt Smith, however the attempt was unconvincingly blocked by Taplin on his line.

Rhys Hastings was constantly involved in the sporadic attacking flourishes provided by Rochedale despite taking an early knock to the head, but the goal came on 41 minutes courtesy of a swiftly worked counter attack.

Carl Tabulo gained possession in his own half before his pin point pass picked out Cody Lovell on the left flank. Lovell dribbled until he drew the covering defender and then laid the ball back for McLean, whose subsequent shot from 15 yards snuck under Michael Theo in goal.

To the delight of the Rochedale faithful in the sizeable but restrained crowd, Rochedale managed to hold their lead until the break.

The second half saw Roar return with more purpose, the challenges becoming noticeably heavier in defence and the intensity in attack also lifted. However, it was Rochedale that almost snuck a second just after the restart when a solid shot from Hastings was tipped away by Theo.

The increasingly slippery pitch proved the undoing of a handful of Roar movements as the visitors sought an equaliser; several players slipping over as the surface dew grew heavier while others misjudged the skidding effect it had on their passes.

Despite controlling possession Roar were noticeably off their game in the final third, perhaps best exemplified when Brattan and Berisha managed to make a meal of a free kick in a good position due to a lapse in communication – the Albanian marksman not even getting his shot away before the wall had advanced.

Still, Brisbane battled on to create further chances that were only denied by the resolute defending of the Rovers backline. Stefanutto, Halloran and Henrique all seeing their shots blocked by outstretched legs before the hour mark.

Finally, Brisbane created their first clear cut opportunity of the half when the combination of Stefanutto and Fitzgerald got in behind the defence on the left hand side. Fitzgerald’s cut back finding Berisha unmarked at the top of the box, but the striker emphatically proved it wasn’t his night by blasting his shot well over the cross bar.

Minutes later, Stefanutto persevered under pressure to play a low cross to a heavily-marked Henrique ten yards out from goal, the plucky attacking midfielder managed to get a toe on it before seeing his effort cleared off the line by a well-positioned defender covering the far post.

Not long after, Brattan’s pass from halfway unleashed Halloran down the right. The former Gold Coast United player was brought down by the scrambling John Thompson in the penalty area, but Halloran’s pleas for a penalty weren’t heeded by the referee.

The goal would finally come down the left hand side, where Roar had arguably looked more dangerous throughout the evening, and in a somewhat similar fashion to the Rovers opener.

Matt Jurman played a ball over the top to Stefanutto and the former Socceroo drew a defender before cutting the ball back to Borrello, who took one touch to control before calmly placing his shot to the left of Taplin.

Buoyed by his goal, and coming off a man of the match performance for QAS against Brisbane Strikers on Saturday night, substitute Borrello stayed heavily involved until the final whistle.

The youngster had a chance to snatch the win in the final minute but his shot amidst heavy traffic from the top of the arc missed the right hand post by millimetres, summing up the Roar’s night in front of goal.

In the end Rovers held on for the draw, a result that will provide the club with much needed confidence as the Brisbane Premier League nears its nadir.

Meanwhile, Brisbane Roar’s next preseason fixture is against another Premier League club, Redlands United, at the Cleveland Showgrounds in a week’s time.

QSL Wrap: FNQ are a-okay

Twenty-two goals at an average of 5.5 per game fittingly helped round twenty-two of the QSL season to produce a series of incredible results.

Brisbane Strikers 2 – 2 QAS
(Thurtell 71’ Angus 80’) (Brown 48’ Lambi 79’)

Brisbane’s eight-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday despite twice recovering from a goal down at Perry Park to draw with the Queensland Academy of Sport.

The QAS have been lacking their usual zest since losing a number of stars to the A-League pre-season but returned to their plucky best to almost cause the upset of the season.

Fullback Max Brown was the unlikely source of an unlikely opener for the youngsters, squeezing a shot past Strikers ‘keeper David Chambers after attacking down the left flank. Matt Thurtell equalised for the hosts with, unbelievably, his 31st goal of the season with around twenty minutes to play, although the contest was still to excite further with ten minutes remaining. Substitute striker Jordan Lambi gave the Academy reward for their efforts by restoring the lead following a neat move, only to see it evaporate within seconds as Nick Robinson took command from the resultant kick-off to eventually tee-up midfielder Michael Angus to level once more.

Angus’ goal eventually proved to be the last of a match which dealt both satisfaction and a cruel lesson to the QAS, while also reminding Brisbane of the level at which they need to continually perform.

NQ Razorbacks 3 – 7 Sunshine Coast
(Crowley 17’, 84’ Edwards 90’) (Frew 25’ Lewis 26’ Bechar 37’ Muta 45’ Blackman 79’, 89’ Firth 87’)

Sunshine Coast sprung spectacularly back into form on Saturday night, firing seven goals on the road past a struggling North Queensland.

While the Razorbacks began the match higher only than Gold Coast and four positions lower than Sunshine Coast, they could have reasonably expected to be more competitive than conceding seven times when Fire visited Townsville on Saturday.

The reigning QSL champions, however, had a point to prove after losing four of their past five matches, and underlined their finals credentials with a four-goal burst before half-time. Any self-doubts the visitors had after Razorbacks striker Jacob Crowley continued a recurring theme by opening the scoring were dismissed through four goals in a twenty-minute spell, beginning with Kaine Frew’s 25th minute equaliser and ending with David Muta’s strike on half-time. A hectic final eleven minutes saw the two sides trade goals as if they were Pokemon cards in 1999 with two for North Queensland failing to stop the scoreline from ballooning out in Fire’s favour.

The three points were still not enough to lift Sunshine Coast any higher than fourth, but the form repercussions are likely to be more positive. The Razorbacks are now longshots to climb any higher than second last.

Whitsunday Miners 0 – 5 FNQ Bulls
(Carroll 40’, 46’ De Nittis 60’, 61’ 75’)

Josh De Nittis and Jamie Carroll combined to produce the result of the round on Saturday night in dismantling Whitsunday’s position as Brisbane’s nearest challengers.

After it was claimed in last week’s wrap that Whitsunday had established themselves as frontrunners for second place, Far North Queensland were clearly set for a big trip to Mackay as they answered all questions as to which side the Strikers should fear most.

A flurry of goals inside sixteen second-half minutes saw the Bulls increase their lead from one goal to four, before Josh De Nittis rounded out his hattrick and the visitors’ magical night with a fifth. Jamie Carroll, the league’s premier goalscoring midfielder, had done the earlier damage by scoring his thirteenth and fourteenth goals of the season either side of the half-time whistles. Young striker De Nittis secured the result, and FNQ’s chance to go four points clear in second, with a quickfire double on the hour.

The weekend hammering was compounded for the Miners on Tuesday as coach Graham Harvey announced he would be stepping down from the role at season’s end amid a reported breakdown in negotiations between the club and the Mackay Regional Football Zone over a joint bid for the new Australian Premier League.

Gold Coast 0 – 3 Capricorn Cougars
(Mozr 10’ 13’ 53’)

Capricorn’s attacking left-fullback Rudi Mozr put his name forward for higher recognition away to Gold Coast on Sunday as he led the Cougars to a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Czech import Mozr, whose self-described natural position is in midfield, netted an impressive hattrick over an improved Gold Coast side to keep the visitors pressing fourth-placed Sunshine Coast.

The 21-year-old did most of the damage with two goals in three minutes shortly after kick-off before his treble, completed in the 53rd minute, brought his season tally to an alarming eight goals – surely enough to put his name on the radar for next season’s Australian Premier League, if not on the lists of higher-positioned scouts.

Capricorn currently sit in fifth-placed purgatory as winning their match in hand on Sunshine Coast would leave four rounds to recover eight points on Fire, while Gold Coast will continue playing only for pride.

Bundaberg Spirit – BYE

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