FORMER perennial whipping boys Bundaberg Toyota Spirit took another giant step forward and confirmed their new-found respect in the Hyundai State League by coming from behind to claim a highly honourable 3-3 draw with competition leaders Sunshine Coast at Martens Oval on Saturday night.
The Fire raged early with their League MVP Tally Leader Tyson Holmes putting them on the board in the 10th minute.
But the Spirit shocked them, taking a 2-1 lead with double-strikers by their “Captain Courageous’’ Brett Kitching in the 19th and 29th minutes.
Sunshine Coast had the perfect opportunity to hit back when awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time, but they were denied by a great save by young Bundaberg keeper Jason McEwan.
The battle continued after the break, and the Fire eventually equalised mid-way through the half via Chris Bacon, and when they regained the lead through Ryan Delahunty in the 81st minute, the Bundaberg team of old would have imploded, but not this side with their new-found belief and spirit coming immediately to the fore.
They replied via the head of one of their star Central Coast Mariners Youth loan players, Adam Ormsby, at the back-post one minute later.
Both sides dug deep in search of a winner as the clock ticked away, but both were “beaten by the bell’’ and a draw was a fair result.
Despite the significance of the result, with the cellar dwellers drawing with the high-flyers, Spirit coach Richard Mitchell said there was still room for improvement.
“We buried something tonight – to come back from 3-2 down late in the game was a big thing mentally for us and it says something for the boys,’’ Mitchell said.
“They are so big but we played very well against a very good football side, and the boys stuck manfully to their task – the crowd was absolutely delighted, and club President David Hillier came and spoke to the boys after the game and told them it was as good as a win – it was a happy night.’’
Mitchell described it as a “good effort all over the park’’.
“Squeaker (McEwan)’s save of the penalty was a big moment in the game – if it had gone it, they would have went to the break with their tails up,’’ he said.
“Also the ‘old warriors’ Kitchy (Kitching) and Laurie (Stephenson) were magnificent in the middle of the park, and John Cullen, who is only 17 and is young and inexperienced, had a really good game at the back and I’m absolutely delighted with him – I still call him a baby but he’s a man now.
“Up front ‘Jamie Oliver’ (their other Mariners loan player Nick Fitzgerald) also did well, and I was happy again with Shane Youngberry – the boy has always been on the bench but in the last two or three games, he has put his hand up and said that we have to start picking him, and (Sydney FC Youth star loan player) Roger (Ray) Miller and Jack Brillante were good out wide, going inside and outside.
“Also Matty Mills came back from injury and played an hour in under-19’s, and came on for Roger Miller in the Seniors when Roger couldn’t breathe with half an hour to go, and he also went very well, and I was very pleased with him.’’
The Spirit will be at home again this Saturday night, playing host to the third placed North Queensland Razorbacks, and although they will be missing at least four players, Mitchell is certain they can go one better than back-to-back draws.
“The Razorbacks are on a roll at the moment, and we will be without Tom Kimber, who picked up a yellow card and will be suspended for accumulation of points, Cory Haack who will be still suspended, and Aaron Bakker and Matty Mills who have personal commitments, but having players out doesn’t faze me any more – it will be an opportunity for others to show that they can play,’’ he said.
“If we can score three goals, we should be able to win most games, as long as we keep it tight at the back – we drew against them in the first round, then scored two against them last time, but they scored five, but we are a much better team now.’’
The Spirit’s Youth team came back from a 3-0 half-time deficit to draw level with 30 minutes to go, but coach Steve Bates said they then “lost their way’’ as the Fire found their second wind to power away to a 7-3 victory.
“We just didn’t start with the intensity that we should have and in the end were beaten by a better team on the day,’’ Bates said.
“If we could have got a fourth goal, we could have put them to bed, but they got their fourth and ran away with it – in under-19, you have got to play all players on your books, and I had to make interchanges, and that also stopped our momentum – we proved we can play and we had them under the cosh in the second half, but once again, we just failed to play 90 minutes of football.’’
Bates said Mills “certainly brought something special to the side’’ during his time on the field.
“Also, once again, Lukey Leggett was a real power-house up front, and Jack Hambrecht, dropping back from Seniors, had a good solid game, as did Brendan Davis,’’ he said.
