Under-19 Grand Final Match Report - Fire v Strikers

The Sunshine Coast Fire Under-19s have overhauled a two goal deficit to win the HQSYL Grand Final, claiming a 4-2 extra time victory over the Brisbane Strikers.

Brisbane surged to an early lead with two goals to Taylor Marshall, before Rhys Roberts and Beau Lyle netted to make the score 2-2 at half-time. After a scoreless second half, Andy Harrison bagged two goals in two minutes in extra time to propel the Sunshine Coast to victory.

The win capped off a remarkable season for the Sunshine Coast Fire, with both the youth and senior sides winning the Premiership/Championship double.

At Gympie’s One Mile Ovals, the opening exchanges were ferocious and both sides looked switched on from the start. Wearing armbands to commemorate Daniel Morcombe, the Sunshine Coast were finding plenty of the ball and pressuring hard in midfield.

Ten minutes in, it was Brisbane who struck the first blow through Taylor Marshall. Lachlan Dale produced a strong run down the right wing before slipping a tidy ball towards Marshall on the edge of the penalty area, who tucked a low shot past Fire keeper Sam Nickolls to open the scoring.

The Sunshine Coast looked to rally after going behind early, as Beau Lyle played a long ball towards Andy Harrison, who raced to the byline but had his cross intercepted.

With the match evenly poised but the Strikers ahead on the scoreboard, the Fire almost found an equaliser as Rhys Roberts launched a long ball that landed well for Harrison to run on to. Under pressure from three defenders, Harrison laid a pass off to Kaine Frew who rolled a shot past the left upright.

Disappointed to miss this opportunity, the Fire suddenly found themselves two goals behind when the Strikers struck again minutes later. An incisive pass from Nick Danicic again found Taylor Marshall in plenty of space, and Marshall produced a cool finish to give his side a big advantage.

The Fire now had a mountain to climb, but on 29 minutes managed to halve the deficit. Following a corner, Andy Gillen looped a ball into the box that slipped out of Brisbane keeper Brayden Nielsen’s grasp, and Rhys Roberts was well placed to knock the ball home from six yards out.

As half-time approached, the Sunshine Coast kept pressing for an equaliser. Kaine Frew fired in a shot from the edge of the area that Nielsen did well to block.

On the brink of half-time the Fire found their second goal to tie it up at 2-2. A chipped ball into the penalty area was headed away from goal by the Strikers defence, but Beau Lyle collected the loose ball and launched a piercing volley that Nielsen managed to block. The rebound came back to Lyle who capitalised on his second chance, shooting into the bottom corner to score with the last kick of the half.

After the break, the two sides looked tighter defensively and there were fewer genuine chances. The home supporters had reason to cheer on 58 minutes when Frew found the back of the net, but the flag was up for offside. For the Strikers, Marshall went close to notching his hat-trick when he headed just wide of the target following a free-kick.

As the match drifted toward full-time locked at 2-2, James Verdin and Daniel King both had chances to find a winner for the Fire, but it wasn’t to be. Extra time would be needed to find a State League Champion.

Nearing the end of the first period of extra time, the Fire had their breakthrough. A quick dash down the left flank from James Verdin left the Brisbane defence scrambling, and Verdin had time to pick out the run of Harrison who blasted the ball home from close range for a 3-2 lead.

Barely a minute later, Harrison collected a pass 20 yards out and took an early shot, squeezing the ball inside the right post and scoring a second goal in as many minutes, to all but guarantee the Fire a Grand Final triumph.

Both Harrison and Verdin had chances to add a fifth in the second period of extra time, but before long the final whistle sounded for a come-from-behind 4-2 victory and a Premiership/Championship double to the Under-19 Sunshine Coast Fire.

Undefeated since May, the Fire showed consistency and determination all season to be crowned Champions, and have set the bar very high for the 2012 season.

Final Score – Sunshine Coast FC – 4 (Roberts, 29, Lyle, 45, Harrison, 103, 104)

                    Brisbane Strikers – 2 (Marshall, 10, 26)

LINEUP – Sam Nickolls, Rob McNicol, Rhys Roberts, Joshua Atkinson, Brad Wallace, Beau Lyle, Mitch Broom, Andy Gillen, James Verdin, Andy Harrison, Kaine Frew. SUBS – Nico Ford, Nick Pointon, Daniel King, Alex Henderson, Nick Roth, Luke Lewis, Damien Cox.

Under-19 Grand Final Preview - Fire v Brisbane Strikers

This Saturday evening, the Sunshine Coast Fire Under-19s will attempt to become the first Fire Youth team to claim the Premiership/Championship double when they face the Brisbane Strikers in the HQSYL Grand Final.

The two teams last met in a catch up match a fortnight ago, with the Fire claiming a 2-1 win thanks to two goals from Kaine Frew. The Grand Final will likely be another close encounter, but the Fire will go into the match with all the momentum.

Victory on Saturday will secure the double for the Fire, who have already won the clubs first Youth Premiership after finishing the regular season four points clear of South West Queensland. SWQ last week were dumped from the finals, beaten on penalties by the Strikers to miss out on a Grand Final berth.

The Under-19s had success on Grand Final day in 2010, springing an upset over QAS to become State League Champions, and will be looking for a repeat this year against the Strikers.

Discipline and consistency has contributed to the Fire’s excellent form late in the season, and strong wins over the Brisbane Strikers and South West Queensland in recent weeks will have built confidence for the Final. Despite losing some key players mid-season, the boys have continued their steady improvement and will look to reap the rewards on Saturday.

Ironically the Under-19s only loss of the season occurred at One Mile Ovals, when the Fire went down 1-0 to their Gympie counterparts in May. The players will be hoping this visit has a more favourable outcome.

Kick-off is set for 5pm on Saturday September 3, at One Mile Ovals in Gympie.

Grand Final Match Report - Fire v Brisbane Strikers

The Sunshine Coast Fire have once again returned from Perry Park as QSL Champions, after snatching a 1-0 triumph over the Brisbane Strikers on Saturday night.

As was the case in the 2008 and 2010 Grand Finals, a solitary goal to the Fire was enough to clinch the title, with former Striker Gareth Musson coming off the bench to net the crucial goal in the 77^th minute.

The victory has clinched a third Premiership/Championship double for the Fire in the QSL’s four year history, an impressive record in a league that is strengthening year by year.

On a Perry Park pitch that had been soaked by consistent rain, the early exchanges between the sides were more tentative than usual as each team looked to find their feet. Although the Fire started the match with an unchanged lineup from last week, Brisbane’s leading scorer Matt Thurtell was granted a brief release from his A-League trial with Wellington Phoenix and took to the field in the Grand Final.

The opening twenty minutes of the half proved to be largely uneventful as both sides struggled to break through and create chances. Although the Fire managed a few set pieces, Brisbane dealt with them with ease.

Myles Carseldine produced the first shot on goal for the game on 24 minutes, when he struck a low drive from the edge of the area that Antony Hall turned away for a corner. Sam Knight and Tyson Holmes combined soon after as the Fire countered, with the skipper eventually playing a ball to Jason Hicks, who shot across the face of goal under pressure.

In the slippery conditions it was the Strikers who were finding more of the ball and gaining the territorial advantage. Midfielder Michael Angus went close to finding the top corner from long range with a stunning strike, but Hall produced a top-drawer save to keep the scores level. Soon after, Matt Thurtell won possession and burst through a scrum of defenders to move in on goal, but shot across the face of goal from just inside the penalty area.

The Fire were looking dangerous on the break, as Shaun Blackman found Leon Dwyer in the left of the penalty area with a through-pass, but Dwyer couldn’t hit the target from a narrow angle. Minutes later, a near-post corner kick from Hicks found Dwyer, but his header went narrowly wide of the left post.

Half-time came with the game very much in the balance. Both sides were threatening, but disciplined defending and difficult conditions were keeping the match scoreless.

After the break, Brisbane had the first opportunity when captain Chay Hews put a good effort narrowly over the crossbar from long range. Hews was again involved soon after, directing a corner kick towards Ryan Mottin, who cleared the bar by inches with a well-timed header.

The Strikers had their best chance when Nick Robinson connected sweetly with a free-kick that looked destined to find the top corner, but Antony Hall again came to the rescue with a miraculous diving save to keep the match scoreless.

With the match drifting closer to full-time and the pressure increasing every minute, the Sunshine Coast stepped up their search for a winning goal. The breakthrough came on 77 minutes, when a long ball from Holmes was chased by Stinson, who collected it near the right byline. Under pressure, he passed back to substitute Gareth Musson who had found space in the penalty area. Musson wasted no time in drilling a shot inside the left post to the delight of travelling supporters.

The Strikers were left downcast by the goal, but rallied to try and level the scores. Although Thurtell and substitute Jonti Richter had half-chances, the Fire were able to run down the clock until the final whistle, which sounded to the jubilation of players and supporters.

Once again, the Fire had snatched a Grand Final win by the narrowest of margins. Richard Hudson was delighted in his team’s ability to get the result in difficult conditions and in hostile territory.

“When we’ve had our backs to the wall this year, we’ve really delivered. We had to do things the hard way by beating Whitsundays last week, but to come to Brisbane and get the win is really impressive.”

In the wake of this latest result, the already bitter rivalry between the Fire and Strikers will likely intensify. With the successful introduction of Sunshine Coast Stadium and an ever-improving standard across the league, 2012 promises to be another exciting season of the Queensland State League.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast FC – 1 (Musson, 77)

                       Brisbane Strikers – 0

LINEUP – Antony Hall, James Stinson, Ryan Smith, Alex Henderson, Sam Knight, Dylan Roberts, Leon Dwyer, Tyson Holmes, Greig Henslee, Jason Hicks, Shaun Blackman. SUBS – Gareth Musson, Daniel King, Kota Shibahashi.

Grand Final Preview - Fire v Brisbane Strikers

Saturday evening will see the fourth Queensland State League Champions decided, and once again it will be the Sunshine Coast Fire and Brisbane Strikers battling for supremacy at Perry Park.

Brisbane won hosting rights by overcoming the Fire in the Major Semi Final a fortnight ago, consigning the Sunshine Coast to a knockout final against the Whitsunday Miners last weekend. In pouring rain in Kawana, the Fire had too much class for the Miners, cruising to a 4-1 victory. Tyson Holmes made amends for his Semi Final penalty miss with a hat-trick to help the Fire book a third Grand Final against the Strikers.

The two times the Fire and Strikers have met in the Grand Final, early goals have set the course of the game, and the Sunshine Coast will be keen to strike a similar early blow on Saturday.

In 2008, a Bryan Gilfillan penalty early in the match set the Fire up for a 1-0 victory and a Premiership/Championship double, a feat that was repeated in 2010. In that Grand Final, Tyson Holmes scored from long range seconds into the match and the Fire hung on to again triumph 1-0.

The Sunshine Coast have the better record in the four matches played between the sides this year, with two wins, a loss and a draw. Each game has been decided by a single goal and there is nothing to suggest that Saturday’s final will be anything less than the usual arm-wrestle.

The Strikers have hosted all three HQSL Grand Finals but are yet to get a hold of the Championship trophy. After claiming the 2009 Premiership, Brisbane were upset by the now-defunct Redland City Devils in the Grand Final, as well as falling short against the Fire in 2008 and 2010.

On the injury front, Gareth Musson is expected to be available to play against his former club after recovering from a hamstring injury, while Judd Molea may return to the side after missing last week with a groin strain.

Kick-off is set for 7pm on Saturday August 27, At Perry Park in Albion. At 4.15pm, A-League champions Brisbane Roar will play a pre-season match against the QSL Northern All-Stars, a team composed of players from the Capricorn Cougars, FNQ Bulls, NQ Razorbacks and Whitsunday Miners. Admission is free for both games.

After last week booking a home grand-final, the time and date has been set for the Under-19 Fire’s competition decider. The Fire will face the winner of the South West Queensland v Brisbane Strikers Preliminary Final at 5pm on Saturday September 3 at One Mile Ovals in Gympie.

Preliminary Final Match Report - Fire v Whitsunday Miners

The Sunshine Coast Fire have booked another Grand Final against the Brisbane Strikers, after claiming a 4-1 victory over the Whitsunday Miners in dreadful conditions in Kawana.

Tyson Holmes made amends for his penalty miss last week with an excellent hat-trick, while Jason Hicks also got on the scoreboard for the home side. For the visitors, Troy Mundy notched during the first-half.

The result will see the Sunshine Coast once again face the Brisbane Strikers at Perry Park in the Grand Final, for the third time in four years. The Final will take place at 7pm on Saturday August 27, and a win for the Fire will secure a third Premiership/Championship double.

The defensive lineup for the Fire remained the same as it has in previous weeks, with Alex Henderson and Ryan Smith in the centre and Sam Knight and James Stinson as fullbacks. Greig Henslee, Dylan Roberts and Leon Dwyer made up the midfield, while Tyson Holmes played a more forward role alongside Jason Hicks and behind Shaun Blackman.

From the opening whistle, it was clear that standing water was going to be a problem on the waterlogged pitch. In the early exchanges, it took players some time to find their range with passes and maintain possession.

After five minutes of play and with neither side managing a shot on goal, the Fire hit the front through Tyson Holmes. Jason Hicks raced to collect a loose ball just outside the Miners penalty area, before slipping a pass to Holmes who had rushed into the left of the penalty area undetected. Holmes settled before tucking a well-placed shot inside the right post, giving Miners keeper Brad Moss no hope to make a save.

In the following minutes, Whitsunday were not afraid to get stuck in as they searched for an equaliser. Dangerous midfielder Clark Bradford lashed an effort over the bar from 20 yards after 10 minutes of play.

As the Sunshine Coast began to get on top in the midfield battle, Holmes aimed a long ball towards Shaun Blackman, who connected strongly with a header from six yards out that Moss did well to save.

On 19 minutes the contest was all square, when the Miners won a throw in on the right flank and raced the ball down to the corner flag, before sending in a cross towards target man Troy Mundy. Mundy produced a fine finish as he headed past Fire keeper Antony Hall to tie the fixture up.

With the middle of the pitch beginning to resemble a swamp, the Miners began to find some traction and were holding their own. Jamie Hatch forced a save from Hall when he shot accurately from 20 yards. Soon after, Whitsunday broke quickly through Jordan Corte who outpaced the defence to move into the penalty area and shoot, but Hall was again up to the challenge.

With 10 minutes to play in the first half, the heavens opened once again and the match was played in teeming rain. From 30 yards out, Holmes had an audacious free-kick clawed acrobatically away from the top corner by Moss, and the scores remained 1-1.

On the brink of half-time, an erratic back-pass from Nelson Burgess won a corner for the Sunshine Coast. Jason Hicks sent the ball into the danger area, but it clipped the crossbar and went out of play.

Early in the second half, there was a lot of wide play as both sides looked to exploit the comparatively drier turf out on the wings.

52 minutes in, the Sunshine Coast broke the deadlock through Hicks. On a quick counter-attack, Hicks rushed down the middle before sending in a low shot from outside the area that Moss reached but couldn’t keep away from the back of the net.

It was 3-1 barely five minutes later, as Dylan Roberts slid a pass to Hicks who ran down to the left corner flag before sending in a low cross that Holmes bundled into the net for his second goal.

 With half an hour to play and the Sunshine Coast holding a comfortable two-goal lead, Whitsunday began to drop off the pace a little, while the Fire were content to hold possession and counter when possible. For Whitsunday, Sean Hughes nearly halved the deficit when he sent in an early cross from the left flank that almost curled into the top corner, but Hall scrambled and punched it away.

As the minutes ticked down and the exertion began to show for both sides, Holmes completed his hat-trick in sterling fashion. He collected a neat diagonal pass and moved in on goal, before driving an unstoppable shot inside the left post from 18 yards to sew up a convincing 4-1 victory for the Fire, and yet another Grand Final berth against perennial rivals, the Brisbane Strikers. 

Fire coach Richard Hudson was delighted with his teams endeavour, and congratulated the Whitsunday Miners for a plucky effort in their first QSL finals series.

“After last week’s disappointment, the football gods were watching us today. I thought we played well, it wouldn’t have been a nice game to watch because of the conditions, but we created a lot of chances. Next week will be difficult, the Strikers have had the week off, they’ll be well rested. We’ll regroup at training during the week, see where we’re at, and then head to Brisbane and try and get the trophy.”

Saturday night will see the 2011 Queensland State League Champions crowned, when the Fire and Strikers again do battle at Perry Park. With two Grand Final victories at Perry Park already, the Fire know what it takes to bring home the QSL trophy.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast FC – 4 (Holmes, 5, 57, 85, Hicks, 52)

                        Whitsunday Miners – 1 (Mundy, 19)

LINEUP -

Antony Hall, James Stinson, Ryan Smith, Alex Henderson, Sam Knight, Leon Dwyer, Greig Henslee, Dylan Roberts, Jason Hicks, Tyson Holmes, Shaun Blackman.

SUBS - Kota Shibahashi for Jason Hicks (81’), Daniel King for Shaun Blackman (87’).

Under-19 Major Semi Final Match Report - Fire v SWQ

The sparkling form of the Sunshine Coast Fire Under-19s has continued, with the boys scoring a convincing 4-1 victory over South West Queensland to gain direct passage to the Grand Final.

A brace from Kaine Frew, as well as goals from Andy Harrison and Luke Lewis secured the Fire a comfortable win, and the side will now face the winner of the South West Queensland v Brisbane Strikers Preliminary Final.

With the sodden pitch further damaged by the seniors game played beforehand, conditions were poor and both teams struggled early on. The Fire looked the more confident side as both teams settled, with Frew and Harrison both missing early chances.

Andy Gillen missed an opportunity on 25 minutes, after Verdin worked well down the left byline before cutting the ball back to Gillen, who couldn’t get enough angle on his shot.

After half an hour of play, the game radically changed complexion when Kaine Frew scored twice in a minute. For the first, a shot from Verdin was parried by SWQ keeper Zach Talbot, but Frew knocked it over the line to open the scoring. From the restart, the Fire quickly won possession and attacked down the right, with Luke Lewis chipping a low cross to Frew who connected sweetly from the edge of the area to double the lead.

As the match approached half-time, the Fire were well and truly on top and were dominating possession. It wasn’t long before the Sunshine Coast scored again, and this time it was Andy Harrison producing a classy finish as he settled on his left foot just inside the penalty area and cracked a shot into the roof of the net.

The visitors had one of their first chances of the game in the closing seconds of the half, as Brad Stark produced an accurate cross for Joel Fraser, who missed the target with a header.

 The second half kicked off in much the same fashion with the Fire controlling the contest. 50 minutes in, Luke Lewis won the ball after a miscued clearance from SWQ and drove it home from the edge of the area to make the score 4-0.

With the match over as a contest, South West Queensland were playing for pride. Nathan Stark sent a free-kick well wide of goal, before Nick Berry forced a solid save from Sam Nickolls when he shot on the half-volley.

On 70 minutes, SWQ found a consolation goal when Jake Jones rode a challenge and beat Nickolls with a well-placed shot inside the left post.

In the wake of the SWQ goal, the Fire looked to up their intensity and continue scoring. An excellent build-up between Lewis and Frew looked to create a chance, but Frew’s final pass to Harrison was mishit by the striker.

As the match got closer to its end, Nathan Stark went very close to scoring from 40 yards out when he spotted Nickolls off his line and went for goal, but his shot could only rattle the crossbar.

Harrison went desperately close to scoring his second in the dying minutes when he expertly stepped two defenders and moved into the box, but his eventual shot could only hit the left post and go out of play.

In the last play of the game, SWQ went close to scoring a second but Nickolls was well placed to deal with Mitch Golding’s shot, and the final whistle sounded for a 4-1 triumph.

With a Grand Final berth now successfully booked, the Fire will have to wait and see who their opponent will be when SWQ and the Brisbane Strikers face off in a knockout Preliminary Final. Having defeated both sides in the last fortnight and shown discipline and heart throughout the 2011 season, the Fire will have every right to go into the Final as favourites. Details for the final will be announced once available.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast Fire – 4 (Frew, 32, 33, Harrison, 40, Lewis, 50)

                        South West Queensland – 1 (Jones, 71)

Preliminary Final Preview - Fire v Whitsunday Miners

After missing the opportunity to seal a home Grand Final last week, the Sunshine Coast Fire must regroup when they host the dangerous Whitsunday Miners in the Preliminary Final this weekend.

The Brisbane Strikers claimed a 2-1 aggregate victory on Sunday to earn Grand Final hosting rights for a fourth consecutive year, consigning the Fire to a knockout Preliminary on Sunday afternoon.

After failing to make a big impression in previous QSL seasons, the Miners have struck excellent form in 2011 and boast some useful English imports on their roster. The Miners put on a clinic to unceremoniously dump the FNQ Bulls from the finals series last weekend, winning 3-0 in front of 2000 fans in Mackay.

In the two games contested by the sides this year, the Miners have had the better of both contests. In Round 8 an injury time penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for the Fire in Kawana, while in Round 17 the Miners claimed a 2-0 victory in Mackay. Both contests between the sides have been hard fought and neither side will give an inch on Sunday.

As for the Fire, the disappointment of missing out on a home Grand Final will likely act as a catalyst on Sunday afternoon. Had it not been for the injury time penalty miss, the side would be hosting its first Grand Final in a fortnight’s time. The Fire will need to put this frustrating result behind them on Sunday and play positive football to gain passage to the Grand Final.

After playing their last three QSL games against the Brisbane Strikers, the Fire will need to react well to the different challenge of the Miners and get off to a strong start. Whitsunday have conceded only three goals in their last five fixtures, so breaking through their well-sorted defence will be a priority for the Sunshine Coast.

Creating chances against the Strikers was not an issue last week, but despite a wealth of opportunities the Fire could not find the back of the net. With the side needing to overturn a first-leg deficit, Richard Hudson played Shaun Blackman, Jason Hicks and Gareth Musson in attack, a formation that may be persisted with against Whitsunday.

Kick-off for the Preliminary Final is set for 2pm on Sunday August 21 at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

After the Preliminary Final, the Fire Under-19s will kick off their finals campaign against South West Queensland. The Fire capped off their season in style last weekend, defeating their rivals the Brisbane Strikers to clinch the HQSYL Premiership by four points. The Sunshine Coast face a tough challenge against the second-placed SWQ, who have lost only two games this year, but the Fire’s strong form at Sunshine Coast Stadium will add to their confidence. Kick-off is set for 4pm.

Major Semi Second Leg Match Report - Fire v Strikers

For the fourth consecutive year the HQSL Grand Final will be played at Perry Park, after the Brisbane Strikers toughed out a 0-0 draw over the Fire to win 2-1 on aggregate.

 The Fire dominated the early exchanges but couldn’t find a breakthrough, and missed the opportunity to snatch victory in injury time with a miss from the penalty spot.

The defeat means the Fire will now host the Whitsunday Miners at Sunshine Coast Stadium next weekend, with the winner going on to face the Strikers in the Grand Final.

Richard Hudson opted for a more attacking lineup this time around and started with a 4-3-3 formation, with Shaun Blackman leading the line and Jason Hicks and Gareth Musson playing as wide forwards. Greig Henslee was moved into a defensive midfield role to complement Tyson Holmes and Leon Dwyer.

It seemed to work, as the Fire had the better of the opening minutes and had several clear cut chances to score and take the lead on aggregate. Jason Hicks lashed a drive from 20 yards out that Striker keeper Brendan White did well to hang on to. Minutes after, Leon Dwyer again called White into action when he shot accurately from 18 yards, but the keeper was up to the challenge.

The visitors’ first chance came after 10 minutes of play, when Sam Knight did well to block Chris Di Sipio as he shaped to shoot. The rebound ended up in Chay Hews possession, but the captain’s well-struck shot from 20 yards out hit Antony Hall on the chest.

Apart from this chance, the Fire had the territorial advantage and were looking dangerous in the attacking third. Shaun Blackman went agonisingly close 15 minutes in, when Tyson Holmes chipped a long ball upfield to Blackman, who waited 18 yards out. Spotting White slightly off his line, Blackman looped a header towards goal, but the backpedalling White managed to touch the shot onto the crossbar before the ball was cleared to safety.

In the wake of this close call, the Sunshine Coast kept pressing for a vital goal. Gareth Musson missed the target narrowly with a header, and Sam Knight drove a shot across the face of goal from 20 yards out. Soon after, Ben Griffin lost possession in a dangerous area for the Strikers and Holmes almost made him pay, forcing White into action again as he saved Holmes’ shot from the edge of the area.

After half an hour of play dictated by the Fire, the Strikers began to work their way into the contest. As half-time approached, Jonti Richter fired a shot from close range that Hall acrobatically parried away, before managing another save as Nick Robinson tried to knock home the rebound.

In the closing minutes of the half, the Fire had another chance go begging when Jason Hicks sped down the left wing before delivering a low cross to Blackman six yards out. Blackman flicked a header toward goal that White managed to slap away, and the target man couldn’t find the net with his second effort.

The whistle sounded for half-time with the Strikers 45 minutes away from a home Grand Final and the Fire in desperate need of a breakthrough. Although a goal to the Sunshine Coast would put them ahead on aggregate, the Fire were aware that conceding an away goal to Brisbane would likely cost them the match.

In the previous two matches between the sides, the Strikers had been potent from set-pieces and the Fire would have been anxious when they won a free-kick just outside the penalty area minutes into the second half. Chay Hews dipped the free-kick over the wall, but Hall saw it all the way and dropped well to make the save.

The visitors continued to frustrate the Fire in the following exchanges, and were breaking even in possession and looking dangerous on the counter-attack. A quick counter gave Sean Burke an opportunity, but the forward launched his shot well over the bar.

After 65 minutes it looked as if the breakthrough had come for the Fire when Knight swung a cross in toward Blackman, who headed past White from close range – unfortunately for the Fire, the ball hit the right post and bounced back into play, with White snatching it from the ground.

As the match drifted towards its end and with the Fire unable to break down the Strikers, the home side were running low on ideas and often opted for a long ball or early cross. Brisbane seemed content to put players behind the ball and counter when possible – Nick Robinson went close to scoring this way, when he raced up the pitch with James Stinson in pursuit, but the Fire defender produced a strong challenge to avert the danger.

Three minutes of injury time were announced, and the Fire had one last roll of the dice when Holmes found possession on the edge of the Strikers penalty area. Surrounded by defenders, he slipped a pass to Leon Dwyer who was adjudged to have been fouled as he took a shot on goal.

The referee pointed to the spot, and Holmes stepped up to try and book a Grand Final berth for the Fire. Although White dived the wrong way, Holmes’s shot hit the crossbar and went over, to the delight of Brisbane players and supporters. After a few more moments of play it was all over, with Brisbane booking a fourth consecutive home Grand Final, and the Fire consigned to a knockout Preliminary Final against the red hot Whitsunday Miners.

Richard Hudson admitted that things just didn’t go the Fire’s way.

“I thought the performance was good, we put everything into it, we created chances, and to cap it all off we missed a penalty with the last kick of the game. But that’s football, and we’ll regroup next week to take on the Whitsundays. They had a good result last night and they’re going to be up for the fight.”

The Preliminary Final will be played at Sunshine Coast Stadium next weekend. Details for the game will be made available shortly.

FINAL SCORE – Sunshine Coast FC – 0

                       Brisbane Strikers – 0

                      (Aggregate – Fire -1  Strikers – 2)

LINEUP

Hall, Stinson, Smith, Henderson, Knight, Henslee, Dwyer, Holmes, Hicks, Musson, Blackman. SUBS – Molea, Brazendale, Shibahashi.

Under-19 Catch Up Match Report - Fire v Strikers

The Sunshine Coast Fire have rounded out the HQSYL season in style, beating the Brisbane Strikers 2-1 at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

A double from Kaine Frew was enough for the Fire to consolidate top spot on the ladder and establish themselves as the team to beat in the finals.

The Fire were confirmed as Premiers midweek when South West Queensland were held to a draw against the Logan Strikers. It is the first time the Fire Youth have claimed the title in the club’s four year history

Barely a minute into the fixture, the Sunshine Coast found the back of the net. Frew was fouled on the right wing, just outside the penalty area, and Andy Gillen took the free-kick. He chipped the ball to Frew at the far post, who found space and angled a header past Strikers keeper Brayden Nielsen to open the scoring.

It was a positive start for the Fire, who kept on coming in the following minutes and were unlucky not to add to the score. Beau Lyle went close soon after, when he ran onto a through-ball, settled on his left foot and missed the target narrowly to the left.

The Strikers were applying themselves but finding it difficult to win enough possession through the midfield. Tom Kenny was one of the first to manage a shot on goal for the visitors, but pulled a shot wide of goal from a narrow angle.

After half an hour of play, Brisbane found an equaliser after winning the ball in their attacking half and attacking down the right wing. Kenny cut inside, before sliding a pass across the six yard box to Taylor Marshall, who knocked the ball into the empty net to tie it up at 1-1.

The Strikers almost had a shock lead minutes after, when a quick counter-attack gave Ryan Cokell a chance, but Sam Nickolls moved well to his left to block the goal-bound shot and keep scores level.

As half-time got closer, Andy Harrison ran onto a long-ball and tried his luck with a shot from distance, but Nielsen was untroubled in goal for the Strikers and saved on his chest.

Although the Fire had already been confirmed as Premiers, the side seemed keen to cap off the regular season and prepare for finals with a win, and came out in the second half full of intent. In the Fire’s first attack, Kaine Frew regained the lead for his side in spectacular fashion, collecting a pass from the left and launching an unstoppable half-volley from 20 yards out that went in off the crossbar.

Minutes later, a neat one-two between Harrison and Gillen gave Harrison a chance to race along the left wing toward the byline, where he slipped a pass into the penalty area that eluded everyone.

Brisbane were battling hard, but failing to create genuine scoring chances. For the Fire, substitute Luke Lewis had a shot on goal in the right of the penalty area, but his powerful shot was knocked over the bar by Strikers keeper Nielsen. Nielsen was again called into action soon after, denying a hat-trick for Frew after he dribbled into the penalty area and shot on his left foot.

With injury time looming, Brisbane had one last chance to snatch a point when Lachlan Dale raced along the right byline, but his low cross was blocked and rushed to safety.

The whistle sounded to mark the Fire’s 12^th win of the season. After going close in previous years, the Fire youth have claimed the HQSYL Premiership for the first time, and will be confident of maintaining their dominance in the finals series. Details for the HQSYL finals series will be made available shortly.

FINAL SCORE – Sunshine Coast FC – 2 (Frew, 1, 46)

                       Brisbane Strikers – 1 (Marshall, 32)

Major Semi-Final Second Leg Preview - Fire v Strikers

Sunday afternoon will see the third match in three weeks between the Sunshine Coast Fire and Brisbane Strikers, as the two sides once again clash with a home Grand Final on the line.

The Strikers snatched the advantage in the first leg with a 2-1 win in a pulsating game at Perry Park, and the Fire must overturn this result to earn a home Grand Final. If Brisbane come out on top, the Fire will need to win a knockout Preliminary Final to qualify for the final.

The opening minutes will be more important than ever, as an early goal to the Fire will put them in front under the away goals rule.

Last week’s first leg was a game of few chances, as both sides tackled and defended with intensity. Brisbane hit the front after an hour of play, before Tyson Holmes hit back with a superb free-kick to level the score. Just when it looked like the Fire would escape with a draw, the Strikers scored an injury time winner to take an advantage into the second leg.

Although Richard Hudson has had a full squad to pick from for most of the season, injuries and illness to key players are beginning to take their toll, as he said after the midweek friendly against Gold Coast United.

“Tyson Holmes picked up a cork very early in the game, we’ll monitor him during the week. Jason Hicks seemed to get through okay. Ryan Smith didn’t make the game today, we’ll see where he’s at tomorrow.”

The Fire are not alone in their injury woes; the Strikers had only 11 senior players to choose from in last week’s game, and relied on Under-19s players to fill their substitutes bench.

In the absence of leading scorer Matt Thurtell, Sean Burke had stepped up for the Strikers. With three goals in his last two games against the Fire, the Sunshine Coast defence will be keeping a close eye on him.

Kick-off for the second leg is set for 2pm on Sunday, August 14, and will be followed by the Under-19 Fire taking on their Brisbane Strikers counterparts in a catch-up match. The Fire currently sit four point clear atop the HQSYL table, and victory would likely clinch the Premiership for the Fire, who have ground out win after win in the latter part of the season. Kick-off is set for 4pm, directly after the seniors game.

Friendly Match Report - Fire v Gold Coast United

In Wednesday night’s exhibition match, the Sunshine Coast Fire were defeated 1-0 by A-League club Gold Coast United at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

An early goal from Daniel Severino was enough to separate the two sides in the evenly-poised friendly.

With the Fire facing the Brisbane Strikers in a vital semi final on Sunday, the squad was heavily rotated for the friendly against the Gold Coast. A number of Under-19, Gympie Fire and invitational players helped make up the squad for the match, with injured players given the night off to recuperate for Sunday.

After holding the Brisbane Roar to a 1-1 draw in a similar friendly in June, the Fire would have been confident of holding their own against the Gold Coast. With both sides taking a little while to warm to the contest, Gareth Musson went close to opening the scoring when he connected sweetly with a volley from the edge of the penalty area, but United keeper Glen Moss pushed it over the bar to safety.

Minutes later, Gold Coast hit the front through Daniel Severino. An accurate shot from distance could only be pushed into the upright by Fire keeper Sam Nickolls, with Severino on hand to knock home the rebound and set United on their way.

The Gold Coast had chances to add to the scoreline in the following minutes, with Joel Porter missing the target from 12 yards, and Peter Jungschlager sending in a low shot from distance that Nickolls dealt with easily.

Midway through the first half, the pace of the game was decidedly slower than in recent QSL games. The Fire were getting their fair share of possession but mostly seemed content to attack on the break. Meanwhile, United were looking dangerous and creating chances in their attacking third.

Joel Porter combined well with Robson in the middle of the pitch, with Robson sending in a shot from 18 yards that hit Nickolls on the chest. On the counter-attack, the Fire moved well down the left wing with Sam Knight sending an accurate cross to Musson, who forced a save from Moss with a header.

Soon after, Tyson Holmes chipped a free-kick from the left touchline into the penalty area, where Alex Henderson got a free header but missed the target to the right. The Fire’s best chance of the game came on 40 minutes, when Jason Hicks was dispossessed but the ball was only cleared as far as Musson, who shaped to shoot from close range. Luckily for United, Adama Traore came from nowhere with a sliding block to deny the striker and keep Gold Coast ahead at the break.

The match continued at a slow tempo in the second half, with both sides looking to hold possession and not throw themselves into unnecessary tackles. Early on, a clever through ball from Dylan Roberts was well anticipated by the Gold Coast defence and cleared to safety.

The Fire continued to substitute heavily as the second half wore on, with first team regulars taken from the field with one eye towards Sunday’s game.

After 70 minutes of play, United went close to doubling the lead when a good cross from Traore found Ben Halloran six yards out, but Halloran could only rattle the crossbar with his header. Halloran was denied again moments later, when Tahj Minniecon moved well down the left flank before sliding a pass to him, but the ball took an awkward bounce on the turf and Nickolls made an interception.

As the match moved into its final minutes, Shaun Blackman and Tim Hollingworth combined well, but the last defender made a classy interception to avert the danger. Kota Shibahashi tried his hand with a 30 yard free-kick soon after, but his shot went well clear of the crossbar.

Gold Coast again hit the crossbar as injury time loomed, when Minnicon found space in the left of the penalty area, shaped to shoot and drove a shot into the bar and out of play.

The Fire had one last chance to equalise in injury time, when Aaron Brazendale skipped down the right wing before knocking in a low cross, but Leon Dwyer didn’t make proper contact with the half volley and missed the target.

The final whistle sounded for a 1-0 victory to the A-League club, despite a solid display from the young Fire side. Fire coach Richard Hudson was pleased with the hit-out and the opportunity to give many squad members a run before the weekend.

“The Gold Coast looked sharp; obviously their pre-season is well underway. I thought we could have nicked a draw, but at least we managed to give plenty of players a run. We didn’t want to concede early, we got caught cold a little bit, but overall, it was pleasing, it’s good for the public to see A-League sides up here and we want to see more of it. We’ve done it twice now, and we’ve shown that we can hold our own.

This Sunday will see the Fire needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the Major Semi-Final second leg against the Brisbane Strikers, with the winner claiming Grand Final hosting rights and the loser facing a knockout Preliminary Final. Kick-off is set for 2pm at Sunshine Coast Stadium, with the Under-19 Fire also facing their Brisbane Strikers counterparts in a HQSYL catch-up match at 4pm.

FINAL SCORE –  Sunshine Coast FC – 0

                      Gold Coast United – 1 (Severino, 6)

Major Semi Final Match Report - Fire v Brisbane Strikers

The Brisbane Strikers have got their revenge for last week’s defeat, snatching a late goal to clinch a 2-1 victory over the Fire and set up an exciting return leg on the Coast on Sunday.

After a scoreless first half, Sean Burke put the home side ahead on 58 minutes with a classy header, before Tyson Holmes levelled the scores with a scorching free-kick after 80 minutes. Ben Griffin broke the hearts of the Fire when he scored in injury time to secure a 2-1 win. In an evenly poised game, Holmes’ away goal may prove telling as the sides return to Kawana to face off on Sunday.

 On their home patch at Perry Park, the under-strength Strikers were lively early as they sought to make up for last week’s disappointment. Jonti Richter connected well with a header from 18 yards out after a cross from Ben Griffin, but the ball went well clear of the crossbar. Soon after, the Strikers were again on the attack as Chris Di Sipio chipped a good ball toward Sean Burke, but it crossed the byline before Burke could take a shot on goal.

Although Brisbane had the better of the opening exchanges, the Fire managed a few chances of their own. Sam Knight sent in an early ball from the left flank, but Strikers keeper Brendan White snatched it away from Gareth Musson as he prepared to head it.

After 25 minutes of even, desperate football from the two sides, Brisbane were given a good chance when they won a free-kick 20 yards out from the Fire’s goal. Strikers captain Chay Hews struck the free-kick beautifully, but the shot could only clip the crossbar and pass over the goal.

Minutes later, the Fire were unlucky not to score against the run of play when Jason Hicks made an interception in Brisbane’s defensive half. Hicks then slipped a pass to Holmes, who had made a run into the right side of the penalty area. Holmes steadied and shot toward the near post, where White did well to parry the ball away. After a miscued clearance, Hicks again found himself in possession but could only force an excellent reflex save from White when he shot from a few metres out.

As the end of the first half approached, the Sunshine Coast were holding firm and managing a more even share of possession, but were making little impression in their attacking third. For the home side, Chris Maher produced a strong run before lashing over the bar from distance in the final moments of the half.

It was a half of quality, disciplined football, with the defences of each side very much on top. In the opening minutes of the second half, Musson released Hicks with a neat pass, but Brendan White produced another impressive save when Hicks shot from the left of the penalty area.

On 58 minutes, the Strikers hit the front to the delight of home supporters. A long free-kick from Hews was anticipated well by Sean Burke just inside the penalty area. Burke rose above the defenders and flicked a header past Antony Hall’s outstretched hand to give Brisbane the advantage.

As fiercely contested as the match had been, both sides turned up the pace in the final half hour. As Sean Burke shaped to shoot from the edge of the area, a strong block from Alex Henderson cleared the ball to safety. Minutes later, a free-kick from Jonti Richter left Antony Hall flat-footed, but the powerful shot curled away from the left upright.

As the match got closer to its end and with the Fire mostly attacking on the break, Tyson Holmes went to ground after a challenge from Ben Griffin, and was awarded a free-kick 20 yards out. Holmes stepped up to shoot, and curved a powerful and accurate ball into the top corner, leaving White no hope as the ball hit the back of the net and left the game all square with 10 minutes to play.

Having secured a vital away goal, the Fire pressed forward in the hopes of grabbing another. Musson shot under pressure from the edge of the area minutes after, but White had no problems saving the low shot.

The Sunshine Coast’s recent run of wins over their Brisbane rivals would have given them hope of sneaking a victory, but it wasn’t to be – two minutes into injury time, a free-kick from Hews was floated towards a scrum of players at the far post, with Ben Griffin angling a header past Antony Hall to break the hearts of the Sunshine Coast and delight the Perry Park fans.

After another minute of play, the final whistle sounded to the glee of Brisbane supporters – their team had responded to last week’s result in positive fashion, and will carry a slender lead into next week’s return leg in Kawana.

Although a disappointing result for the Fire, the loss was not due to lack of effort. The side defended fiercely for the full 90 minutes and conceded two well-taken goals, but could not create enough chances to come home with the advantage. Richard Hudson admitted that the side’s preparation had been hindered by illness to some players, and that next week will see the Fire continue to play their usual attacking game in the hope of overturning the result.

The Fire will again face an A-League opponent in a friendly this week, with Gold Coast United venturing north to Sunshine Coast Stadium. Kick-off is on Wednesday at 6.30pm. The Major Semi-Final return leg will be played on Sunday at 2pm, also at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

 FINAL SCORE – Sunshine Coast FC – 1 (Holmes, 81)

                      Brisbane Strikers – 2 (Burke, 58, Griffin, 90)

LINEUP – Hall, Knight, Henslee, Smith, Henderson, Dwyer, Holmes, Roberts (Blackman), Stinson, Hicks (Brazendale), Musson.

Major Semi-Final First Leg Preview - Fire v Brisbane Strikers

With a third HQSL Premiership already in the bag, the Sunshine Coast Fire’s attention will now turn towards securing a third Premiership/Championship double.

The first step for the Fire is to get the better of the Brisbane Strikers over two legs in the Major Semi-Final, with the winner claiming hosting rights for the Grand Final. The loser will have to back up in the Preliminary Final to earn a spot in the final two. The Major Semi-Final first leg will be played at Perry Park this Saturday night.

At Sunshine Coast Stadium last Friday night, the Fire were clinical in front of goal on their way to a Premiership clinching 4-3 win. Despite a nervous start, the Sunshine Coast opened the scoring 10 minutes in through Jason Hicks, before leading 3-1 at half-time. A late surge from the Strikers fell short, and the Fire claimed their second victory of the year over their Brisbane rivals, and a third Premiership in four years.

With a mobile forward pairing in Gareth Musson and Jason Hicks as well as the side’s usual strength in midfield, the Fire were too slick in attack against Brisbane and were devastating on the break. Apart from a few lapses, the Fire showed their usual class in defence and stuck to Brisbane’s attackers with discipline. In the absence of leading scorer Matt Thurtell, Sean Burke partnered Chris Di Sipio in attack for the Strikers, with Burke scoring two of his side’s three goals. The Fire will be looking to reduce his influence on Saturday night.

Missing key players, Brisbane will need to raise a special effort in front of their home crowd to come out on top. Their last match at Perry Park resulted in a disciplined 2-1 victory over the Whitsunday Miners, and the team will need to find similar form on Saturday. Strikers coach David Large admitted his side’s defensive performance against the Fire was one of the worst he had seen all season, which the side will surely address during the week. The absence of Nick Robinson through suspension after being sent off last week will not help matters.

As for the Sunshine Coast, the side will need to maintain composure in front of vocal opposition supporters. Perry Park has been a happy hunting ground for the Fire in recent times, with the side claiming 1-0 victories in both last year’s Grand Final and Round 1 of this season. The Strikers will be out for revenge at home, and fans can expect a battle on Saturday night.

Kick-off for the Major Semi Final first leg will be at 7pm on Saturday night, at Perry Park in Albion. The return leg is set to be played at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Sunday August 14.

Match Report - Sunshine Coast Fire v Brisbane Strikers

A seven-goal thriller at Sunshine Coast Stadium has seen the Fire crowned Premiers for a third time, after claiming a 4-3 victory over the Brisbane Strikers in an at times spiteful encounter.

Needing only a draw against the second-placed Strikers to win the title, the Fire nevertheless went on the attack early, rushing to a 3-1 lead at the break. Although the Strikers rallied in the second half, the dismissal of defender Nick Robinson killed off their resistance, and the Fire held on for a 4-3 triumph.

As is often the case, there was no holds barred from the opening whistle as both sides looked to stamp their authority on the game. The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges, with Sean Burke forcing an acrobatic save out of Antony Hall with a sweetly struck shot from just outside the penalty area.

After a nervy start from the Fire, the team began to look most comfortable on the ball and were rewarded on 10 minutes with a goal from nothing. Leon Dwyer won possession 25 yards out from the Strikers goal, catching their defenders off guard. Dwyer then slipped a simple through ball to Jason Hicks, who let Strikers keeper Brendan White commit himself before chipping the ball past him from 12 yards.

Against the run of play, the Fire had made the Strikers task all the more difficult, and looked to capitalise in the following minutes. Both sides were tackling ferociously, with Chris Maher issued a yellow card for a challenge on James Stinson soon after.

While the Fire were beginning to find their feet in midfield, Brisbane went close to levelling the scores when Chris Di Sipio raced to the byline and sent in a low cross, but there were no Brisbane players on hand to knock it into the net.

On 25 minutes, the task got even tougher for Brisbane when a devastating counter attack from the Fire lead to a second goal. A fluid move down the left flank saw Sam Knight release Jason Hicks, who sent in a cross from the byline towards Tyson Holmes. Although White produced a strong block to save Holmes’ powerful shot, Gareth Musson pounced on the rebound and made his former club pay with the second goal of the match.

The Sunshine Coast almost had a third seconds later, when Holmes knocked a header to the advantage of Leon Dwyer, who flashed a volley at goal from 20 yards out. White snatched the ball out of the air to deny Dwyer.

The Strikers had no choice but to throw caution to the wind after the Fire’s second goal, and were looking to attack directly whenever possible. A long cross into the penalty area from Nick Robinson had Antony Hall scrambling, but Hall managed to punch the ball away before Sean Burke could get his head to it.

After 37 minutes of play, the Strikers gave themselves a sniff of hope when a long free-kick into the box eluded the Fire’s defenders, with Burke on hand to take possession and beat Hall at his near post from close range. After looking assured in defence for most of the match, the goal would have been a bitter blow for the Fire.

Minutes later, the Fire made amends when the influential Dwyer ran onto a long ball and moved into the penalty area, striking a low shot past White who got a hand to the ball but couldn’t keep it out of the net.

With the score now 3-1, Holmes almost added to the scoreline when his well-struck free-kick on the left wing cleared the crossbar by a foot.

After the half-time break frustrations were beginning to boil over for the Strikers. With the visitors needing to find the net three times to claim the Premiership, the Fire seemed content to keep players behind the ball and harass the Strikers into making mistakes. After an hour of play, rain started to fall and possession got sloppier from both sides.

The contest was all but sealed on 62 minutes when Jason Hicks picked up his second goal of the match. On the counter-attack, Musson and Holmes combined before picking out Hicks on the left flank, with the forward settling on his left foot before shooting from 20 yards. The low shot skidded on the sodden pitch, and although White got a hand to it, the ball still bounced off the right post and crossed the line.

With 20 minutes to play, a powerful 25 yard free-kick from Nick Robinson beat Hall in goal for the Fire, making the score 4-2 and again giving the Strikers a glimmer of hope. The Fire almost produced the perfect response minutes later, when Holmes blasted a shot into the underside of the crossbar from inside the penalty area.

The contest was put to bed after 76 minutes when Robinson was issued a second yellow card, when he flung the ball away in frustration after what he thought was a poor refereeing decision.

In the closing minutes, the Sunshine Coast looked to maintain their discipline and broke down the Strikers moves time and time again, as the tiring visitors kept chipping away. As three minutes of injury time started, Myles Carseldine found Sean Burke unmarked on six yards, and the forward knocked in his second of the night to make scores 4-3.

Although Brisbane had tried valiantly, the final whistle sounded to the delight of the Fire’s players and supporters, who could now celebrate a third HQSL title in the competition’s four year history.

Richard Hudson was delighted to come out on top in an entertaining, free-scoring decider.

 “We were a little bit special tonight, and to do it when the pressure’s on, it means a lot. The boys stood up tonight, and everybody played their part. The Strikers had nothing to lose really, so they came out all guns blazing, but we absorbed the pressure and did really well. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, but we’ve got the Premiership and now we’ll go after the Grand Final.”

The Strikers will get their chance at payback next weekend, when the two teams face off again in the first leg of their finals series. The Strikers will host the Fire at Perry Park in the first leg, before returning to Sunshine Coast Stadium the weekend after for the second leg. Kick-off times will be made available in the coming days.

FINAL SCORE – Sunshine Coast FC – 4 (Hicks, 10, 62, Musson, 25, Dwyer, 38)

                      Brisbane Strikers – 3 (Burke, 37, 90, Robinson, 70)

LINEUP – Hall, Knight, Henslee, Smith, Henderson, Dwyer, Roberts, Holmes, Stinson, Hicks (Brazendale), Musson (Blackman).

Catch Up Match Preview - Fire v Brisbane Strikers

Friday night will see the 2011 HQSL Premiership decided, as the Sunshine Coast Fire and Brisbane Strikers do battle once again.

The old foes will fight it out at Sunshine Coast Stadium, with the Strikers needing a win to overhaul the Fire and claim first place. A draw will be sufficient for the Sunshine Coast, who currently hold a two-point competition lead going into this final fixture.

It is difficult to line up an accurate form-line between the two sides. The Strikers will be up and about after knocking off the dangerous Whitsunday Miners at Perry Park last week. A fortnight ago, the Fire suffered their second loss of the season when defeated by the Miners in Mackay. However, while the Fire have comfortably accounted for the Gold Coast Stars twice this season, the Strikers have been defeated both times they have faced the Stars.

The Fire and Strikers last met in Round 1, with the Fire snagging a 1-0 victory at Perry Park with a late goal – this result will mean little come Friday evening, as Brisbane look to clinch their second QSL title to go with their 2009 triumph.

The Strikers have a wealth of attacking options at their disposal, but will have to do without leading scorer Matt Thurtell on Friday evening. Thurtell has been offered a trial with A-League club Wellington Phoenix, and will likely be unavailable for the entire QSL finals series. The Strikers will also be without Josh Searle, who will miss the finals campaign with a broken leg.

Despite these omissions, Brisbane have strength in depth and will be looking to strike a psychological blow as finals approach.

As for the Fire, last week’s 7-0 drubbing of the cellar-dwelling Bundaberg Spirit will have raised confidence for Friday night. The Fire were clinical in front of goal on Sunday, embarrassing the Spirit’s defence to lead 6-0 at half time and cruise to victory. Former Brisbane forward Gareth Musson scored twice in the rout, increasing his goal tally to seven goals in five QSL games after joining the Fire mid-season.

All is set up for a classic encounter on Friday evening, the first of three games between the Fire and Strikers in the coming weeks. Kick-off is set for 8pm on Friday July 29 at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Round 18 Senior Match Report - Fire v Bundaberg Spirit

The Sunshine Coast Fire have trounced the Bundaberg Spirit 7-0 at Sunshine Coast Stadium, setting up a premiership-deciding clash with the Brisbane Strikers for Friday evening.

Doubles from Gareth Musson, Greig Henslee and Tyson Holmes, as well as a goal from Sam Knight, secured the Fire their 10^th win of the season and kept them two points clear atop the HQSL table.

Friday’s rescheduled game with the second-placed Brisbane Strikers will now decide the Premiership, with the Fire needing a draw or a win to lift the Premiers Plate for a third time.

After Brisbane kept their Premiership challenge alive with a win over the Whitsunday Miners on Saturday night, the Sunshine Coast knew that they needed to beat Bundaberg to regain top spot on the ladder.

From the opening whistle, the home side controlled proceedings and it wasn’t long before they opened the scoring through Gareth Musson. Jason Hicks found possession on the left wing, before sending a low cross into the danger area which Leon Dwyer collected with his back to goal. Dwyer laid the ball off to Musson who produced a clinical finish, giving Spirit keeper Jason McEwan no chance as he found the bottom corner of goal.

Bundaberg looked to rally after going behind early, with Laurie Stephenson forcing a save out of Antony Hall in one of the Spirit’s first attacks. Bundaberg were unable to keep the ball in their attacking half in the following minutes, and on 12 minutes the Fire doubled their lead. A looping far-post cross was read well by Greig Henslee, who headed past McEwan from a few yards out.

After 15 minutes of play, Bundaberg were under siege and struggling to clear their lines as the Fire swarmed forward. McEwan was again called upon, and did well to block a long distance drive from Jason Hicks before pouncing on the rebounded ball.

The Spirit were looking to attack directly when they had possession, but were breaking down through midfield and lacking killer instinct up front. Elliot Causer couldn’t control a header from close range for the visitors, clearing the bar by metres.

With the Sunshine Coast settling into the game well, Sam Knight produced a good assist in his 50^th game for the club, finding Tyson Holmes at the far post with an accurate cross. The captain headed truly, hitting the back of the net from close range and stretching the lead to 3-0 after 21 minutes of play.

Barely a minute later, a tidy through pass from Judd Molea released Musson one-on-one, and the striker made no mistake to score his second and his side’s fourth goal of the game.

The shell-shocked Spirit were again picking the ball out of the back of the net on 25 minutes when Greig Henslee, playing further up the pitch than usual, nabbed his second goal. Henslee powered a header into the roof of the net from 12 yards following a cross, compounding Bundaberg’s woes.

The rout continued on 32 minutes, as Holmes rode two challenges before dribbling into the penalty area and beating the keeper with minimal fuss for a 6-0 lead.

As half-time approached, Bundaberg began to gain some traction in midfield but were failing to make an impression on the Sunshine Coast defence. Jason Hicks almost added a seventh in spectacular fashion, but McEwan dropped well to parry his near-post drive.

Six goals to the good at the break, the Fire could afford to take their foot off the pedal in the second stanza, but still looked hungry when the half kicked off. Henslee missed an opportunity for a hat-trick as he lifted a shot over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.

The scoreline moved into more embarrassing territory for the Spirit on 50 minutes, when Sam Knight worked into the left of the penalty area and knocked the ball home from a tight angle, stretching the lead to 7-0.

Some of the sting went out of the game following Knight’s goal. Bundaberg’s best chance of the game came on 63 minutes, when Brendan Davis found space in the penalty area but had his shot blocked.

As the clock ticked away, Molea went very close to notching a goal of his own when Spirit keeper McEwan plucked the ball off Molea’s foot just as he prepared to shoot from close range. Minutes after, Holmes was denied a hat-trick of his own when his goal-bound header was cleared off the line by the last defender.

Matthew Mills missed a consolation goal for the visitors in injury time when he headed wide, but the Spirit would have been happy to hear the final whistle sound. For the Fire, the comfortable win will go some way to restoring the confidence that was dented last week by the side’s 2-0 loss to Whitsunday.

The clinical nature of the win pleased Richard Hudson, but the coach was well aware that the Brisbane Strikers will pose a very different threat on Friday night.

“It was good to kill the game off in the first half. We showed a lot of experience and played really well, and we got everyone out on the pitch for a run, so they should all be fresh for next week’s game with the Strikers. I was looking for a reaction to last week’s loss to Whitsunday, and training was very good this week. We can relax a bit now, and start preparing and training for next week.”

Sunshine Coast Stadium will host the premiership decider on Friday night, with kick-off set for 8pm. Although a draw will be enough for the Fire to be crowned back-to-back Premiers, the side will no doubt attack the game and look for a psychological victory over the Strikers as the finals series approaches.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast FC – 7 (Musson, 7, 24, Henslee, 12, 26, Holmes, 21, 32, Knight, 50)

                    Bundaberg Spirit – 0

LINEUP:

Hall, Knight, Smith, Henderson, Stinson (Lyle, 60), Molea, Holmes, Henslee, Dwyer (Shibahashi, 58), Hicks, Musson (Blackman, 58).