It didn’t take long for the experience of the Strikers to take the lead when the QAS were caught playing the ball out of defence with the Strikers pushing numbers forward and forcing an error in the QAS’s back line.
Striker’s forward Chris Di Sipio’s pressure paid off and he broke away from the pack with a clear chance on goal with which he made no mistake, having time to pick a spot and slot it home.
Keen to find an immediate response, the QAS forced a corner from the Strikers which pin-balled in the penalty area before bouncing to the feet of QAS’s Koh Satake whose first time shot went just wide of the goal.
It was Striker’s veteran Chay Hews who was next to get his name on the list of goal scorers when he followed up on his initial shot which the QAS couldn’t clear and Hews fired home the loose ball putting the visitors two goals ahead.
With the first half winding down, the QAS were keen to close the deficit before the break and their endeavours were rewarded when a partially cleared corner fell to Koh Satake who managed to break free from advancing Michael Angus and strike a low, curling shot through a mass of player’s and into goal.
Boosted by the goal before half time, the QAS looked to carry their form into the second half but a strong Brisbane Strikers outfit continued to pressure the Academy side with forwards Di Sipio, Angus and Thurtell quick to form the first line of defence in search for possession.
This pressure in their own half proved too much for the QAS who succumbed to another goal in the 67th minute when again the Strikers forwards forced an error from the QAS back line who were playing the ball out from defence which put Thurtell through on goal who slotted it away.
With a two goal buffer the Strikers continued to push forward and were ultimately rewarded when Sean Burke was brought down in front of goal and was awarded a penalty which was easily put away by Striker’s Nick Robinson.
Just nine minutes later it was déjà vu when Burke again found himself brought down in the area and was awarded a penalty which he took care of himself placing the ball out of Stein’s reach to take the final score line to 5-1.
In the dying minutes of the game, QAS looked like they had found a way through the Strikers defence when Satake broke through the midfield bearing down on the box before unselfishly laying it off to Kwame Yeboah whose shot beat Striker’s ‘keeper Brendan White but not Jordan Mason who managed to get back and clear the ball off the line leaving the final score line at 5-1.
QAS Coach Darren Davies was positive despite the loss putting emphasis on the importance of developing the young players rather than focusing on winning.
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the result, but I’m not disappointed with my players,” he said.
“We’ve conceded goals tonight through doing what we believe in and trying to play football which is everything this program is about.
“If we’re going to concede goals along the way then that’s not a problem to me… what I have got a problem with is if we stop trying to do it,” Davies said.
“Yes, we’ve probably gifted them four… maybe even all five goals and obviously we can’t afford to give teams those opportunities.
