Spirit downed by Olympic force
Monday, 29 June 2009
Bundaberg Spirit did not deserve to lose 8-0 but that was the final score-line as they were put to the sword on their home ground in their round 14 David and Goliath battle by Olympic who also claimed the outright lead on the ladder by virtue of the win.
Olympic went into the round as joint-leaders with Brisbane Strikers, but with the Strikers going down to resurgent reigning premiers Sunshine Coast 3-1, the Olympians not only moved three points clear but they also made up a big lee-way on Brisbane on goal difference, joining them on plus-35.
It was always going to be a tough night at the office for the Spirit, and Olympic opened their account with their star striker Alex Panic on target in the ninth minute, and they added two more for the half at 10-minute intervals, with Brad Lacey and James Meyer also getting their names on the score-sheets.
When Panic completed a personal double three minutes into the second stanza, the flood-gates could have then opened, but the Spirit weathered the storm for the next 15 minutes until Shane Coffey broke through.
Down but not out, Bundaberg kept on fighting, but like the good side that they are, Olympic kept on coming, and they ultimately put the icing on their cake with three more goals in the space of four minutes inside the last 11 minutes.
With surgical precision, Chris Hagell headed the ball in from a superb cross in the 82nd minute, before Nigerian import Nzuke Okafor tapped the ball in from a perfectly placed lob into the face of goal.
With all the momentum behind them, Olympic keeper Matt Ham added insult to injury when he stepped up and hammered in their eighth goal from the spot after they had received a dubious penalty.
But while it made no difference to the result, Spirit coach Brett Hambrecht rued that it was just one of several “tough decisions’’ against them.
He also felt for his players because they were better than what the score-line indicated.
“It never seems fair but that is what is written on paper, and when you are down, it compounds and things just don’t seem to go your way,’’ Hambrecht said.
“But they can hold their heads up – it is all part and parcel of a tough year – really they didn’t play badly and they put in 90 minutes of football against a quality side – it was a gutsy performance and they try hard which is what encourages me as a coach.
“The supporters see the effort that they put in and that’s what wins people over and even the opposition.’’
The Spirit were weakened by the withdrawal of
Queensland schools representative striker Arian Dubroy earlier in the afternoon, which took away some of their fire-power, and he was missed.
But those who did play did some good things individually and collectively despite being overwhelmed in the end, and some of their best included Mitch Broom and captain Brett Kitching, and Hambrecht is hoping they and all his players will finally get the reward they have been working so hard for this Sunday.
“The boys are obviously a bit down but we will rev it up again and get back on the training paddock, and next week we have got Whitsunday Miners in Mackay with a three o’clock kick-off,’’ he said.
“And I am really looking forward to that match and honestly believe it will be our first win.’’
Vince Habermann
Vince Habermann
