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). 

Round 18 Under-19 Match Report - Fire v Bundaberg Spirit

The strong late-season form of the Sunshine Coast Fire has continued, with a barnstorming second half securing a 4-0 win over the Bundaberg Spirit on Sunday evening.

Goals from Andy Harrison, who notched a hat-trick, and Nico Ford were enough for the Fire to notch their fourth consecutive win, after being locked 0-0 at the break.

The Fire would have entered the match full of confidence after defeating the Spirit 2-1 on their home patch last weekend, and would be looking to replicate the result in Kawana.

After a slow start, the Sunshine Coast began to exert their influence on the contest and threaten the Spirit’s goal. Joshua Atkinson looked to have got on the scoresheet when he read James Verdin’s corner well and headed towards goal, but the lines were cleared by the last defender.

Most of the play was buried inside the Fire’s attacking half as both sides began to settle into their rhythm, but the Spirit were holding form and doing well to prevent clear-cut opportunities.

After 25 minutes, Frew got his head to an accurate cross but missed across the face of goal. Soon after, a free-kick from Andy Gillen had to be tipped over the bar by Spirit keeper Daniel Smith.

Half an hour into the game, the referee spotted an infringement in the box and blew the whistle for a Spirit penalty. Tom Evans stepped up to convert for the Spirit, but Sam Nickolls had other ideas, guessing correctly and moving low to his right to make a fine save and keep the Fire on an even keel.

Buoyed by their lucky escape, the Fire continued to create as half-time approached. Mitch Broom had a strong effort saved at the near post, before Aaron Brazendale missed a good opportunity when he volleyed over the bar from inside the penalty area.

The Fire started the second half with a wealth of possession, but were continuing to struggle in the attacking third. Rob McNicol raced to meet a loose ball in the penalty area, but skied his shot over the crossbar.

After an hour of play, the deadlock was finally broken through substitute Andy Harrison. Kaine Frew did well to ride several challenges outside the area before finding space to shoot. He attempted to angle a low shot past Spirit keeper Smith, who got a hand to the shot but couldn’t stop Harrison from pouncing on the rebound and netting for a 1-0 Fire lead.

The Sunshine Coast continued to apply themselves in the wake of their goal, and it wasn’t long before they notched again. A long free-kick from Daniel King cleared the keeper, and Harrison read the ball well and knocked it home at the far post to double the lead.

As the match entered the final 15 minutes with the result looking fairly secure, Harrison completed his second half hat-trick when he bundled home a good cross from a few yards out, effectively ending the contest. With the three points in the bag, Nico Ford tried his luck from distance, catching the keeper napping and finding the net with a fine 20 yard strike to extend the lead to four goals.

After playing out the final minutes in style the whistle sounded for a well deserved 4-0 victory, a worthy reward for a dogged performance that improved as the match went on.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast FC – 4 (Harrison, 60, 72, 82, Ford, 84)

                        Bundaberg Spirit - 0

Round 18 Preview - Fire v Bundaberg Spirit

Only two rounds remain in the 2011 HQSL season, and the Sunshine Coast Fire are once again within striking distance of winning the Premiership.

The equation is now simple for the Fire – beat the Bundaberg Spirit and avoid defeat against the Brisbane Strikers to claim a third Premiers Plate in four years.

The Fire missed the opportunity to all but secure the Premiership last round, falling 2-0 to a determined Whitsunday Miners side in Mackay. Fortunately for the Sunshine Coast, the second-placed Brisbane Strikers failed to capitalise as they were defeated 1-0 by a last-minute goal in their game with the Gold Coast Stars.

In Mackay last Saturday, Whitsunday were keen to avenge the controversial 1-1 draw that the two sides played out in Round 8. As was the case in that game, the match remained scoreless until late in the second half when the Miners scored twice to end the Fire’s resistance and put themselves in a strong position to play finals football.

With a two-point competition lead and two games to play, the Fire now must hold their nerve this Sunday against the Bundaberg Spirit. Equal with the Capricorn Cougars at the foot of the HQSL ladder, the Spirit have managed only one win and one draw this season, conceding 54 goals in the process.

Bundaberg have suffered heavy defeats against QAS and the FNQ Bulls in the last few rounds, before scraping a 3-3 draw with Capricorn on the weekend. As their depleted squad limps towards the end of the season, the Fire will be looking to capitalise and control the fixture.

The teams last met in Bundaberg in Round Nine, with the Fire coming home comfortable 3-0 winners. With the Spirit averaging less than a goal per game in 2011, a strong opening half from the Fire may kill off Bundaberg’s resistance.

Last week’s loss against Whitsunday was the first time the Fire have failed to score in a match all season, a record which the side will be keen to make amends for come Sunday.

Kick-off for the Round 18 fixture will be at 2pm on Sunday July 21 at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

As for the Fire’s youth teams, victory last week assured a four-point competition lead for the Sunshine Coast Under-19s. A win against the Bundaberg Spirit this week would all but assure the boys are crowned Premiers. Kick-off for their match with the Spirit will be at 4pm, directly after the senior’s game.

The Gympie Fire are also in action this weekend after their last match was postponed. The Fire will face South West Queensland in Gympie on Saturday afternoon at 3pm.

Round 17 Preview - Fire v Whitsunday Miners

Three fixtures remain for the Sunshine Coast Fire in the 2011 HQSL season, and it doesn’t get much tougher than this week’s trip north to take on the in-form Whitsunday Miners.

With a slender two-point competition lead, this Saturday’s clash looms as a danger game, with the Fire facing the Bundaberg Spirit and Brisbane Strikers in the rounds to follow.

Rarely out of first gear in their 5-0 win over the Capricorn Cougars last week, the Fire were nevertheless clinical in front of goal and seem to have recovered from a mid-season lull in form. The boys travelled to the Gold Coast to take on the Stars a fortnight ago and returned home with an impressive 4-0 victory, suggesting that winning away from Kawana will not be a problem.

The Miners now sit in fifth place, well within striking distance of finals football. With three wins and a draw from their last four matches, Whitsunday are finding form at the right time but will need to force a result against the Sunshine Coast to remain confident of a finals berth.

Despite being reduced to 10 men in their fixture with the Gold Coast last week, Whitsunday produced a three-goal second half to run out 3-1 winners, and will be riding a wave of confidence on Saturday night.

The Fire and Miners last met in Round 8, in a game that ended in controversial circumstances. Whitsunday held a 1-0 lead after 90 minutes of football, before the Fire equalised from the penalty spot with the last kick of the match deep into injury time. The Miners camp was enraged by the decision, believing that the allotted injury time had already passed when the penalty was awarded.

The memory of Round 8 will no doubt be strong motivation for the Whitsunday side, and the Fire can expect the home side to come out all guns blazing in their crusade for a finals place. As for the Sunshine Coast, the side needs no more motivation than the prospect of defending their HQSL title, and victory on Saturday will go a long way to helping the boys realise this dream.

Kick-off for the Round 17 clash is set for 7pm on Saturday July 16. The game will be played at Harrup Park in Mackay.

Meanwhile, both the Sunshine Coast and Gympie Fire Under-19s are in action this weekend. The Sunshine Coast Fire produced a last-gasp win over the Logan Strikers last weekend to remain top of the table, and this Sunday will look to consolidate their position as they face the Gold Coast Under-19s. The match will kick off at Carrara Stadium at 4.30pm on Sunday July 17.

The Gympie Fire are coming off a bye, and will be keen to finish off their inaugural season in style over the next few weeks. They face the Sunshine Coast Zone side this Saturday, with their match kicking off at 2pm at Buderim Wanderers Football Club.

Round 16 Senior Match Report - Fire v Capricorn Cougars

The Sunshine Coast Fire have reclaimed top spot on the HQSL ladder, after a strong second half propelled them to a 5-0 win over the Capricorn Cougars at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

A brace from Shaun Blackman, as well as singles from Tyson Holmes, Gareth Musson and Greig Henslee secured a two point competition lead for the Fire, who face a tough trip north to take on the in-form Whitsunday Miners next week.

The Fire had a stranglehold on possession from the opening whistle, dominating territory over the depleted Cougars side. It took only minutes for the Fire to hit the back of the net when Musson latched onto a parried shot and knocked the ball home, but the flag was up for offside.

Not long after, the Fire managed their first goal of the match through Shaun Blackman. An accurate cross from Jason Hicks on the left wing found Blackman six yards out, who netted with a well-placed header to set the Fire on their way.

Some of the sting went out of the Sunshine Coast attack following the first goal, as Capricorn began to find some possession but lacked the polish to mount a serious attack on the Fire’s goal. Hayden Hearne was muscled off the ball by James Stinson in a rare move forward for the Cougars.

As the first half progressed the Sunshine Coast continued to control the midfield battle, but seemed to lack a bit of communication in the attacking third. The Cougars were competing well in their own right, with Hearne launching a drive from 20 yards that Antony Hall did well to block.

Soon after, Sam Knight worked well down the left flank for the Fire, racing to the byline before slipping a pass to Musson with his back to goal. He turned and shot first time, but his left-footed shot hit the right post. Dylan Roberts followed up with a shot from outside the penalty area that flew wide.

With half-time looming and the Fire only a goal to the good, Capricorn began to win some ball in midfield. Defender Troy Ruthven attempted to catch Antony Hall off his line with a chipped shot from 20 yards, but the keeper was alive to the danger.

After the half-time break, Richard Hudson looked to shuffle the deck by bringing on Leon Dwyer and Alex Henderson for Jason Hicks and Judd Molea. In the opening exchanges of the second half, the Fire were competing with more urgency and were soon rewarded on the scoreboard.

A lucky deflection from a though ball fell nicely for Tyson Holmes, who raced in on goal one-on-one with Cougars keeper Tim English. Holmes stepped past English but was brought to ground inside the penalty area, and the referee wasted no time blowing the whistle for a penalty. English was awarded a yellow card, and Holmes stepped up to convert his penalty, beating the keeper with a powerful shot to his left.

With a two goal lead secured, the Fire looked more comfortable on the ball and were beginning to gel in attack. Blackman added his second goal of the game on 55 minutes with a well-struck finish, as he ran onto a through ball and squeezed a shot inside the left upright.

With the result all but secure at 3-0, the Sunshine Coast could smell blood and looked to add to their tally. On 61 minutes, the floodgates were well and truly opened when Musson continued his scoring form for the Fire’s fourth. Holmes dispossessed a Cougars player before racing into the penalty area, leaving Musson completely unmarked to his left. After receiving the ball, Musson settled before burying the shot to put the result beyond any doubt.

It was 5-0 after 65 minutes when a far post cross from Holmes was headed home at an acute angle by Greig Henslee.

With both teams looking content to run off the clock, Patrick Grice almost nicked a consolation goal for the Cougars, but Henslee cleared his shot off the line with Hall beaten.

As injury time approached and with the Fire controlling the tempo, Aaron Brazendale raced Cougars keeper English to a loose ball, but his desperate chip was too heavy and went well over the bar.

The final whistle sounded for a comprehensive 5-0 victory to the Fire, who overcame a listless first half to cruise home in the second stanza.

Captain Tyson Holmes was pleased to see his side regain top spot, but acknowledged that the side needs to be ruthless from the opening whistle.  

“It was a game of two halves really, the first half we were sluggish, but in the second half we came out and got a few early goals and kept the pressure up, and it was a good result in the end. There was little bit of lack of communication today, everyone was trying to do a bit too much rather than concentrating on their own job.”

With three games left to decide the HQSL Premiers, next week’s away clash with the Whitsunday Miners is a must-win. The Miners pushed the Fire to the brink the last time they met, and have gone from strength to strength this season. Kickoff for the Round 17 clash is set for 7pm on Saturday July 16 at Harrup Park.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast FC – 5 (Blackman, 7, 55, Holmes (pen), 50, Musson, 60, Henslee, 65)

                       Capricorn Cougars – 0

LINEUP:  Hall, Knight, Smith, Henslee, Stinson, Hicks (Dwyer, 45), Roberts, Holmes, Molea (Henderson, 45), Musson, Blackman (Brazendale, 60).

Round 16 Under-19 Match Report - Fire v Logan Strikers

An injury time winner has ensured the Sunshine Coast Fire remain atop the HQSYL ladder, as the boys came from behind to notch a 2-1 win over the third-placed Logan Strikers on Sunday.

Nick Roth’s first-half strike cancelled out a goal from Logan’s Mitchell Polak minutes into the game, before a goal in second-half injury time from Kota Shibahashi won the Fire a vital three points.

In a game crucial to both teams’ finals prospects, Logan got off to a flying start with a goal from Mitchell Polak only seconds into the game. Polak was released one-on-one and beat Nickolls from close range, with the ball clipping the left post before crossing the line.

Shell-shocked at conceding early in such an important fixture, the Sunshine Coast looked desperate to win possession and tackled hard. After winning a free-kick 20 yards out, Andy Gillen drove a shot under the wall that Strikers keeper Brayden Nielsen did well to cling on to. Soon after, Kaine Frew ran onto a through-ball and raced in on goal, but shot straight at Nielsen under pressure.

With both sides hurling themselves into the contest and the play flowing from end to end, the Sunshine Coast began to create some genuine opportunities. A long ball from Brad Wallace was collected by Frew, who rounded a defender and settled to shoot from inside the penalty area, but could only pull his shot into the side netting.

On 40 minutes, the Fire were rewarded for their industry when James Verdin worked well down the left wing and cut back at the byline, slipping a pass inside to the advancing Nick Roth who made no mistake from 12 yards to level the scores.

Roth almost added to his tally minutes later when his left footed drive from long range flew just wide of the target.

The Sunshine Coast went into the half-time break with all of the momentum, and started the second half looking to capitalise on their clean slate. A direct move forward almost yielded a goal straight away for the Fire, but the referee called for a foul as Rhys Roberts prepared to shoot.

Although the Coast were enjoying a healthy share of possession, Logan were having some success on the counter-attack. A quick break from Aaron Christensen very nearly gave the Strikers the lead when he forced a quality save out of Sam Nickolls.

As the second half wore on, the Sunshine Coast continued to put themselves in good positions without finding the crucial goal. Substitute Andy Harrison showed his pace when he beat his marker and moved in on goal, but he lifted a shot over the bar under pressure.

With ten minutes to play, the Fire were continuing to look the more dangerous side as Kaine Frew and Luke Lewis both forced saves from Logan keeper Nielsen.

Injury time was drawing closer, and it was beginning to look like the Fire would be again held to a draw at home. Substitute Kota Shibahashi did well to work to the right byline, but his cross was a little too high for Frew.

With the match entering its final seconds, the Fire won a free-kick 25 yards out and Shibahashi stepped up to take a shot. As his teammates watched on, Shibahashi squeezed home a free-kick at the near post to give the Sunshine Coast the lead for the first time.

Although Andy Harrison narrowly missed a third goal for the Fire with the last shot of the match, the Fire were ecstatic when the whistle sounded for a 2-1 win that confirmed the side’s Premiership credentials.

The Fire will face another stern test next week when they travel south to Carrara Stadium to face the Gold Coast Under-19s. With the boys experiencing great success on the road this season, they will be confident of returning home with another three points and taking a further step towards the Premiership. Kick-off is set for 4.30pm on Sunday, July 17.

FINAL SCORE: Sunshine Coast FC – 2 (Roth, 40, Shibahashi, 90 +1)

                       Logan Strikers – 1 (Polak, 2)

Round 16 Preview - Fire v Capricorn Cougars

With the business end of the 2011 QSL season just around the corner, every match becomes a must-win for the Sunshine Coast Fire as the side aims for a third Premiers Plate. The Fire have a chance to regain the competition lead on Sunday when they take on the Capricorn Cougars in Kawana.

The Sunshine Coast are still without a QSL victory at Sunshine Coast Stadium, and will get no better chance than this week’s match against the struggling Cougars.

Winless this season, Capricorn have managed only three draws to go with their 10 losses so far. The Cougars were trounced 6-0 last round against the Far North Queensland Bulls in a game which highlighted their defensive woes. With 60 goals conceded from 13 fixtures so far, Capricorn will have to tighten up against the Fire who average more than three goals per game.

The two teams last met in Round 7, with the Fire running out victors in a 14-1 slaughter at Rockhampton. The Cougars will no doubt be wary of the Fire’s attacking power in the wake of such a resounding defeat.

The Fire produced a perfect response to their indifferent form last week as they powered to a 4-0 away win over the Gold Coast Stars. Gareth Musson and Tyson Holmes helped the Fire to a two goal lead at the break, and both scored again in the second half to cap off a convincing victory.

It was exactly the positive result the Fire needed to get their campaign back on track, after the shock defeat at the hands of the FNQ Bulls a fortnight ago.

Although the Coast’s defensive stocks have taken a hit with the departure of Takanori Sato, the side boasts strength in depth and will not be taking the Cougars lightly. The Fire currently trail the Brisbane Strikers by a single point in the Premiership race, but victory over Capricorn would guarantee the Fire regain the competition lead, as Brisbane have a bye this weekend.

Kick-off for the Round 16 clash is set for 2pm on Sunday, July 10, with the Fire’s Under-19 team to follow at 4pm.

The Under-19s returned to winning ways last weekend against the Gold Coast Stars, finding their form in front of goal to record a 4-2 victory. This weekend they take on the Logan Strikers, who are currently fighting for a place in the finals. With the Fire battling for top spot on the HQSYL ladder, three points against Logan would put the boys in a strong position.