Bundy Unlucky
Monday, 12 April 2010
Hosts Bundaberg Toyota Spirit again gave it their best shot but again they came up short, going down to Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) 1-0 in their Hyundai Queensland State League third-round clash at Martens Oval on Sunday.
A goal early in the second half by Kenneth Dougall was enough to secure the points for the Academy.
In an enthralling end-to-end battle, the Spirit created many chances to equalise, right down to the dying minute, but they just could not quite deliver.
Their Coach Richard Mitchell was pleased with their endeavour but disappointed to finish empty-handed.
"I thought the lads deserved at least a draw but what you deserve and what you get are two different things - they went to work and put in a good shift but were not paid,'' Mitchell said.
"We created a lot of chances and the boys performed well but they (QAS) are also a good little outfit and they play good technical football - we matched them in most departments and there was good enthusiasm and enterprise - we played a good team game and on another day some of those chances might have gone in and I'm confident we can beat them next time we play them, but you can see how the lads look - disappointed.
"The chances we are creating is a positive to take out of the game and hopefully those chances might come to fruitition soon because there are no points for coming second - 3 games in we have a 0-0 draw, a 1-2 loss and a 0-1 loss but near enough is not good enough.''
Captain Brett Kitching was also pleased with their effort but he rued another game that got away from them.
"We played the full 90 minutes and I think we were the better team in the second half, but we conceded a soft goal and we couldn't get one in the net ourselves - we had at least six good chances and could have stolen a goal but it was not to be,'' Kitching said.
The skipper said their back four of Lucas Read, Corey Haack, Mathew Mills and Tom Kimber "contained their front guys pretty well''.
"But in saying that, everyone worked hard despite the heat taking its toll, and the guys who came on also did well - Shane Youngberry, Elliot Causer and Aaron Bakker who is still a few games away from being fit, but he is starting to hit his straps,'' he said.
There was one local who was a winner, ultra-talented Bundaberg product Koh Satake, who had another fine game for QAS.
The Spirit head north this weekend to play Capricorn Cougars, who like them have one point from three matches, and it will be a big game for both sides, but both Mitchell and Kitching are confident they can finally break the shackles and post their first win since 2008.
The Toyota Spirit's Youth League side were also beaten, going down fighting to QAS 3-1 after making a perfect start with Luke Leggett giving them the early lead with a superb goal in the fifth minute.
They were ultimately sunk by a hat-trick by a red-hot Jayden Liddicoat, who equalised in the 10th minute, before striking again in the 20th and 53rd minutes.
Coach Steve Bates is adamant they were the "better side'' despite the result.
"I am disappointed we lost but not disappointed in the boys - I really thought we were the better team on the day - we should or could have been 4-0 up after 15 minutes but we gave away a goal through an error in the backs, then they got another through a goal-keeper error, then our mind-set started to change,'' Bates said.
"Given the extreme heat of the day, we started to play from the back instead of forward, but if we played the whole game like we did in the first 20 minutes, I think we would have been unbeatable.''
Bates said Leggett was always dangerous until succumbing to the heat and becoming one of two players who collapsed and required medical assistance, the other being Hayden Lobegeier.
"Mitch Broom was also again outstanding in the middle and Michael Coleman in the backs was solid but I couldn't fault anyone's effort - the boys tried hard and they were bitterly disappointed with a loss - they really wanted to get a win in front of their home crowd after coming back very strongly last week to draw 3-all, but that's football,'' he said.
