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.
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